


The Scoundrels of Virtue

by Echidnux



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Body Horror, Character Death, F/M, Hypnotism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-06-16 22:12:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 89,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15446970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echidnux/pseuds/Echidnux
Summary: It’s been 15 years since the Hero of Twilight defeated Ganondorf and returned peace to Hyrule. However, the Princess Zelda has struggled to assert her authority over the kingdom; her nobles hold the true power in Castle Town. In light of this, a group known as The Scoundrels of Virtue has risen to check the power of the nobility and restore the status of the princess. But can they triumph over a new evil when no hero appears to save Hyrule?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Scoundrels of Virtue](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/400761) by Various Authors (see url). 



> This work is based off an unfinished roleplay that I decided to complete in fanfic form. Endel belongs to me (https://zurins-laboratory.tumblr.com), Lorcan belongs to PrincessCharmingKnight (http://pipit-crossing.tumblr.com/), Torianna belongs to BlueFrenchHorn97 (http://nayruwisdomgoddess.tumblr.com/), Skallin belongs to Necropolis (http://www.hyrule.net/forum/profile/16262-necropolis/?tab=node_blog_blog), Cheval belongs to ElwayGuy (http://www.hyrule.net/forum/profile/17043-elwayguy7/), and Maia belongs to Franne (http://franne-th.tumblr.com/).

In the ancient kingdom of Hyrule there are persistent legends venerated by the people. These legends tell tales of heroes with valor and courage that defeat enemies of the kingdom in times of great peril. Each young hero, garbed in green, follows the honorable path and shows the citizens of hyrule how to act with bravery in the face of darkness. Such legends are common throughout the households of Hyrule and are known by all of Hylia’s worshipers.

This story is not.

It is neither a story of valor nor honor. Indeed, those that the story entails often acted dishonorably and without even decency. They were thieves, scoundrels, and saboteurs that followed a very malleable code of ethics. Their story is not remembered well by the kingdom of Hyrule, not only because it fell out of favor with its people but also because it is a hidden legend. Certainly there were few people who even knew these scoundrels were a necessity to the kingdom at the time. 

But these scoundrels were not interested in courage or valor. They were people who did not prioritize what was right, but what was necessary. Their actions were needed because their kingdom was wallowing in corruption and ill will, just as it had done during the Unification Wars. They believed it was impossible to act with valor against the current forces of darkness, so they forsook their honor for the greater good. They were those that acted deplorably against forces of evil because they believed in something more virtuous than themselves.

They were Scoundrels of Virtue.

\---

The shady alleyways of Hyrule Castle Town were a favorite of bold or ignorant travelers. Looking for a shortcut to the adjacent city block, they strode through the alleys with pockets full of coin that was ripe for the picking by thieves.

And woe to the good people wandering the western alleyways today, for Endel was on the hunt.

Dressed in dark clothes with a grey hood that covered his dirty-blonde hair, Endel was a rising member of the Scoundrels of Virtue, a group that used sabotage of crime syndicates and espionage of corrupt officials to secretly aid Princess Zelda. This was all done without her awareness or permission, of course, but the best in the business were fine with that while people like Endel didn’t really care. He was only really there to learn how to be a thief, like his boss Cheval, and right now he had a long way to go to get past being a common cutpurse.

Endel suddenly realized he wasn’t alone in the alleyway. A merchant, probably in a hurry to return to his booth, was running toward him with little room to evade him. It would be simple; just bump into the guy to create a misdirection, then snatch his coin purse. Endel did a quick look around to see if anyone else was coming down the alleyway, then started running toward the careless merchant. With a subtle change of direction, he glanced off the shoulder of the man while his unnoticed hand snatched a fat purse on the victim’s belt. Endel let out a rushed apology and dashed from the scene, then turned the corner onto the main west street.

Endel smirked as he put the contents of the purse into his own. “Not bad… not bad at all!” he said with a smile. Purse snatching was amateur work, but it made a nice income as long as you didn’t get caught. “Guess I better get back to base before the guards-”

He froze. For just a second, he thought he felt like he was being watched. Looking around, Endel saw that nobody was looking at him. Maybe it was a person inside a store? Looking in the store windows, there was nothing to see but a plundered suit of armor with most of its pieces missing. Satisfied, Endel made his way back to base.

\---

At the Scoundrels of Virtue base, Lorcan once again found himself guarding the armory. Not that he had a problem with this; he was careful, vigilant, and dedicated to the cause of the organization, and so never questioned his superiors when they constantly put him on guard duty. Perhaps his greatest strength, however, was his selective mutism that allowed him to keep secrets for the Scoundrels. Admittedly, he looked like an odd choice for a guard, as he was thin and faster than he was strong. However, chasing down intruders was an inevitability in this business, so in his own way he made for a good sentry.

And as luck would have it, he spotted a chance to use that agility.

Quick footsteps down the hall caught Lorcan’s ears, and soon enough a thief he didn’t recognize came into view. The intruder was small and wore a hood and bandana over their face, so it was impossible to tell their identity. He (or she) moved with incredible speed, but nonetheless Lorcan was on the intruder’s tail.

The thief took a left, then two rights, as if they knew exactly where to go. Lorcan began to suspect that this troublemaker was well versed in the layout of the base. But of course, it wouldn’t be enough for them to get away, because he was already inches from the intruder. A slim hand with a ring on it reached out for the door, but Lorcan caught it with one hand while the other drew his sword. It would be easier to tell the thief to freeze, but that would be breaking his selective mutism. Nonetheless, the sound of drawn steel told the thief to stop just as effectively as a spoken command, and the intruder gave up. Lorcan reached out to yank off the hood and bandanna.

Under the mask was a young girl, short and olive-skinned with freckles on her face. Her eyes were a vivid green that took Lorcan by surprise with their beauty. The expression of the girl was considerably less attractive, and she looked like she wanted to spit on him. Regaining composure, Lorcan roughly jerked the girl’s hands behind her back and marched her to the prisons.

\---

It was only a short walk back to headquarters, which lay under the city streets. Endel took a quick turn down an alley, leapt up to an open window in an abandoned doctor's office, pulled back the carpet inside concealing the trapdoor, and disappeared from the world above. The Scoundrels of Virtue had relocated here, to the tunnels of the castle underworks, shortly after one too many inspections at Telma's Bar. It was just above the actual sewers and didn't stink, but it could get cold and drafty in here, to say nothing of the rats and skulltulas.

As he walked by the prisons, he was surprised to find Lorcan standing guard over a cell. “This is new, got tired of guarding the weapons all day?” Endel asked. Lorcan shook his head and motioned to the girl in the cell. Endel snickered. “Gonna be hard to interrogate her if you can’t talk. Let me take care of this.” The guardsman glared at him, then left.

Entering the cell, Endel looked the girl over. She seemed pretty raggedy, but the ring on her finger was a dead giveaway to her origins. “Network kid, huh?” Endel asked. The girl avoided his gaze. The Network was a massive guild-like association of thieves that didn’t belong to the Scoundrels, almost like a rival gang. “Don’t worry, I don’t care much about that stuff. I just want to know a little bit about you. What’s your name?” 

The girl remained silent. “...I get it,” Endel continued. “You’re thinking that you can play it tough. Really, it isn’t necessary. If I wanted to interrogate you, I’d have Lorcan cut your arm off and let you bleed to death, but that’s not my game.”

The girl looked at him. “I’m… Torianna.” She said with acidity. “What do you want from me?” “Want from you?” Endel said. “I don’t…” He stopped. The image of the plundered suit of armor appeared in his head. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly wanted the suit that seemed to stare into his soul. “...Actually, I do want something from you. You’re going to help me with a burglary, and in return I’m going to get you out of here.”  
Torianna seemed to ponder her options for a moment. “...Alright, that’s fair” she said. “What are we stealing?”

\---

At dusk, Endel and Torianna made their way to the abandoned shop. It had gone by many names in its time, from a store for the rich to a Malo Mart, until finally it was a failed antiques store. Whatever the case, it wouldn’t be too hard to break in. Endel preferred to take these jobs slowly, but his accomplice was not so inclined; Torianna darted around the back of the store and started picking the backdoor lock. Endel rolled his eyes and scouted for any onlookers, then joined Torianna at the door.

It took her seconds to pick the lock. With one last scan of the area, they snuck into the old store. The place was fairly barren, but a few trinkets and coins could be found in the drawers that Torianna happily pocketed. “Well, are you going to ransack this place or just let me take everything?” she teased.

Suddenly there was a sound of a metal door swinging open; Endel and Torianna froze, then looked for cover. They heard something slowly descending the chimney, and with a cloud of soot in the fireplace the unknown intruder made their entrance.

It was Endel’s boss, Cheval. “Well, that was amusing.” He said with a smile as he dusted off his heavy leather coat and brushed the soot out of his long, dirty blonde hair. “Watching you two stumble in here, I mean. Really inspired, breaking through the back door when you could avoid all detection by using the chimney.”

Endel frowned. His boss was always upstaging him; he was an expert in a variety of morally dubious operations. “Yeah, yeah,” He said as we waved his hand, “Think you could help me get this suit of armor, boss?” 

“You mean the one standing right there?” Cheval asked. “Sure.” Endel looked at him funny; Cheval was pointing at the back of the store when he knew the armor was in the front on display. Turning around, he looked where Cheval was pointing to see the armor, standing on its own and looking almost… alive.

It was then that the armor spoke.


	2. Chapter 2

“...Skallin… I am armor… and my name is… Skallin?”

The armor spoke in a tinny, muffled voice as it wandered the room. Endel was completely dumbfounded; how did a possessed suit of armor end up in Castle Town without the Scoundrels knowing? It wasn’t uncommon for the castle knights to let a monster or two slip into town, but Endel and his partners usually got rid of them quickly. Was another group smuggling monsters into the city, or was there an even more sinister conspiracy afoot?

There was a long pause as the armor seemed to freeze like a statue, then he continued to speak with great effort. “Excuse me, gentlemen, could you help me? I’m having trouble verbalizing my existential crisis… and… I need… hel-”

Suddenly the armor collapsed. “Probably low on power.” Cheval postulated. “Let’s smash it up while it’s unconscious and be done with it.” “Wait!” Endel interjected. He wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. “We don’t know how this thing got here, and it wasn’t hostile. We need to interrogate it for information first!”

Cheval thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I supposed it can’t hurt,” he said, “we’ll take it back to base then. Put it in that sack over there.”

Endel scooped up the armor and began to stow it away when Torianna spoke up. “Not so fast!” she said, brandishing a ornate silver knife. “I want to know what’s going on here, and I’m not going to let you two walk away with that suit of armor!”

Both Endel and Cheval rolled their eyes. “We promised you everything but the armor,” Endel said, “now step aside.” Torianna shook her head. “I don’t want the armor, I want to come with you! I don’t have to be back at The Network until tomorrow, and I’m just as curious as you about what’s going on here!”

Cheval smiled. “Alright, kid, you can come with us. But remember, there’s two of us and only one of you, so don’t try anything.”

“Believe me, if I wanted to cause you trouble I would have snitched to the castle soldiers long ago.” Torianna shot back. “They may be ineffectual layabouts, but they could wipe out you Scoundrels.” Endel glared at her but, knowing she was right, said nothing as they left the abandoned store.

\---

Torianna followed the two thieves back to their base. She knew that her father, a leader in The Network, would be over the moon when she brought news of this enchanted armor. After all, a conspiracy to smuggle monsters into castle town would mean huge profits if The Network got involved. And so, for now she would put up with these two thieves, using them as a means to get what she wanted. Because in The Network that was how you used people; as assets, not friends.

They took the usual route back to the base; Torianna quietly mused that she knew it as well as the Scoundrels thanks to her reconnaissance work. When they reached the underground entrance, a furious looking Lorcan was waiting for them. The guard said nothing, but his scowl and posture told Torianna and the others he was furious.

“Don’t worry,” Endel assured him. “We’ll have an explanation in no time. But since you’re so interested in our new friend, how about guarding her for a while?” Torianna smirked when she saw Lorcan’s scowl become even more severe. He puffed out his annoyance, then glared at the girl with pursed lips.

“Believe me, I’m just as annoyed as you are.” Torianna said.

\---

Later that evening, Endel and Cheval were summoned to Ashei's quarters for debriefing. Apparently, word had gotten around that something had been up between the two of them and a Network thief, despite the only person who witnessed this being essentially mute. Both thieves felt apprehension; neither was a stranger to being chewed out by one superior or another, but now they had to make a report on something that could get them sent to who-knows-where on a lengthy mission. Endel took a deep breath and walked aside Cheval to meet Ashei.

The Scoundrels of Virtue officially belonged to Telma, but Ashei had been promoted to second in command. According to rumors, Rusl and Shad were no longer a part of the group's operations at all, while Auru had retired quietly a few months ago. Handling an underground guild of this size was probably too much for any one person, but she kept most folks in line.

"You idiots are gonna tell me what happened on your latest heist, yeah?" she ordered bluntly, at which point Cheval stepped forward. "Not you," Ashei responded, "I want to get Endel's take. Seems he's the one who made a contract with a Networker." Cheval fidgeted backward as Endel approached their superior.

"I was setting up a break in to grab that armor this afternoon...” Endel started “...when I happened on that girl; thought I'd spare her getting punished and offer her a share in the loot. We both got in the store easily enough, but I could feel that armor... watching me or something. It was creepy, to be honest."

Ashei raised an eyebrow. "Seein' as you don't buy into supernatural stuff, I'm gonna take that as a serious concern yeah?" Endel nodded, though he thought about clarifying that he distrusted fate and the influence of the gods, not superstition.

"Okay, here's what's gonna happen." She continued. "Tomorrow you're gonna take that metal... thing and jog it's memory. Keep an eye out, it ought to try going back to whatever cave it wandered out of. Let me know what you find. Got it?"

Neither of them had to answer; whenever Ashei said ‘Got it?’ she was giving an order, not a question. Both of them gave a quick bow and exited the room, Cheval eager to harass Endel all the way back to their quarters.

\---

Torianna’s new ‘friends’ were busy in debriefing, leaving her with the none-too-sociable guard. They were both sitting in a room provided to her, passing the time, when she decided to try again at getting a word out of him.

"Lorcan, isn't it?" She asked. He nodded. "You don't talk much, do you?" He glanced at her then, but still didn't say anything. She waited a few moments.

"Can't talk? Or won't talk?" She teased.

He rolled his eyes at that, but still didn't speak. He got to his feet, walking over to check the windows and doors of the room were secure for the third time that night.

"What is it then?" Torianna asked. "Ripped vocal chords? Pathological shyness? Am I just so gorgeous that I've rendered you speechless?" He shot her a dark glare for that one and she grinned, pleased that she finally got a reaction out of him.

"Oh come on Lorcan, it's boooring around here. Can't we... I don't know... can I look around your base?" He shook his head firmly; that was a definite no. "Can we play cards?" Another no. She huffed out of boredom and frustration. "Can we at least go for a walk?"

He rolled his head back, letting out an exasperated sigh, but nodded. Torianna grinned and clambered to her feet; it was time to see first hand how this organisation operated.

Torianna watched as Lorcan opened the door, then motioned for her to follow. They walked along the dark corridor, taking occasional turns. At first, the only sound was their footsteps, but soon Torianna felt the urge to pester again.

"Say, that's the room I got my sword from!" she remarked, pointing at the familiar door. "And almost got away with it..." Lorcan rolled his eyes when she eyed him slyly, jerking her to the right as she attempted to veer left.

"So, Lorcan, tell me something about yourself," she suggested, then laughed. "Ah, wait..."  
Lorcan scowled.  
"What age are you?" she asked. "Honestly, you don't look a day over fourteen. Did I guess right?" Lorcan shook his head adamantly. "Alright, alright, so what age then?" Lorcan gave her a pointed look for that, turning left at the end of the corridor. And then, "You still haven't told me what age you are, you know."

For a split second, Lorcan almost snapped at her. He whirled to face her, his mouth opening a fraction. It was only when he saw Torianna's grin that he stopped, pressing his lips into a tight line with a nasty glare.

"So close!" Torianna exclaimed, laughing. "Trust me, shy boy, you'll snap eventually. I know you will…”

They walked for a little while longer, and Torianna got to see the way everything ticked in the Scoundrels of Virtue. She saw agents preparing heists and sabotage missions, workers meticulously going about… everything she wanted except the armor they’d nabbed today. She mused that she’d at least gotten to needle Lorcan (a passing agent had called him that), and she conspired to eventually make him snap.

Endel and Cheval returned a few hours later. “Did you get an earful for working with a Network thief?” She teased them. In all honesty, she respected Endel if only because he was a good thief and seemed to respect her own skills. Endel waved his hand. “Nope, just got told to interrogate the possessed armor in the morning.”

Torianna froze. “The morning?” She said with exasperation. “I’ll be gone in the morning!”

“Not our problem.” Cheval replied “I’m going to bed, the rest of you can keep squabbling if you want.” He turned without a glance and left the room. Torianna didn’t like him.

“How was babysitting?” Endel slyly asked Lorcan. The guard rolled his eyes; Endel laughed. “Just watch her overnight, I’ll see you in the morning!” He said as he left the room.

Torianna huffed; babysitting indeed! Lorcan nodded at his friend and turned back to watch her. It was going to be a boring night.

\---

Next morning, Endel walked into the chamber Skallin was being held in to find Cheval, Lorcan, and Torianna already there. The Network thief was having a one-way conversation with Cheval about her fascination with the base. “Shady thieves and impressive warriors working side by side; what a motley crew!" She joked. Cheval rolled his eyes.

What also caught Endel’s attention was the floor; an eye had been carved into it, presumably by the armor before he was restrained.

Skallin, as the armor had called itself, looked extremely uncomfortable, so Endel untied his hands. The armor began to wander around the room in a stupor. “I apologize for the artwork.” he said. “But I have these… compulsions.”

“It’s fine.” Endel replied. Lorcan seemed to get an idea, and motioned for him to get pen and paper. He quickly replied by giving a nearby empty journal and pen to Skallin. Soon, the armor had drawn an intricate map of what looked like underground tunnels. “I was… still am a Darknut.” the creature explained. “My master sent me into these tunnels… or rather, something I have gained the memories of was sent there.”

Endel scratched his head.”Well, that’s something to work on…” he figured. Still, it wasn’t much; they had a map of a cave system they didn’t know the location of. Then something else occurred to him. “By the way,” he said “I’m Endel, and we’re the Scoundrels of Virtue! We sabotage the rich, fight for the poor, and-”

“Steal lots of stuff.” Cheval interjected. Endel glared at him; he was getting to that part. “Anyway,” Endel continued, “We need to know where these caves are. Can you lead us to them?” Skallin seemed to think for a moment, then nodded; that was good news.

“Alright,” Cheval said with a grin. “I’ll start making preparations for us to travel to these caves. Endel, get Skallin a disguise so we can sneak him out of town. Lorcan, escort Torianna out of the base. Let’s move out!”

Endel felt like it was going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 3

Soon enough, preparations were completed and the group was parting ways. Endel and Cheval were making for the Eldin province with Skallin in tow while Lorcan and Torianna were headed to the Network base.

“See you back at home,” Endel said to Lorcan, then turned to Torianna. “Let me know if you’re in the neighborhood, ok?”

Torianna shrugged. “I’ll think about it…” she teased.

Endel, Cheval, and Skallin then turned back to the open road. They’d put Skallin in a horse-drawn carriage that Cheval was steering while Endel walked alongside. The subordinate thief could hear rustling from the tarp covering their ally. 

“Y’know, I’ve seen darknuts before,” Cheval said to Skallin after they’d left Castle Town. “Not terribly often, mind you, but often enough to know they’re armed to the teeth.” “I have very few memories of my time as a Darknut,” Skallin replied. “Everything else starts after I was brought to the shop. I have vague recollections of having been...’armed to the teeth’, as you say. But I believe it is possible many of those same armaments were sold off.”

Endel thought for a moment, then reached into the cart and grabbed one of the larger blades they’d packed in case of trouble and handed it to the now-upright darknut. Cheval saw the blade and chuckled. “It’s seen better days,” he quipped, “but so have you.” Skallin gave no reply, just looked at the blade in its scabbard. “Now, you’re at least somewhat armed to the teeth again.” Endel mused.

\---

Lorcan escorted Torianna uneventfully to the Network base. Surprisingly, the girl was quiet the entire way except for a snide remark about not needing an escort. Lorcan felt unusually compelled to disagree with her; she made him feel more at ease for some reason, and although he couldn’t be sure, he suspected she felt the same. Once they reached the house, Torianna gave her escort an unusually formal handshake and sent him away.

He’d barely made it a block when he heard shouting.

The guard turned back for a moment. Someone in the Network base was really laying into Torianna, harshly enough that his hair was standing on end. For a moment he hesitated; was it really his business to help a thief that had tried to steal from him? On the other hand… she seemed like a good enough person born into bad circumstances, and she had no reason to be yelled at in this situation. Lorcan let out a sigh and made his way back to the Network house.

Going in the front door wouldn’t work, so Lorcan snuck around the back to find a window. Soon enough he found one at the foot of the house for letting light into the basement, so he took a peek. Inside, he saw something that made him gasp; Torianna, bound to a chair, was sitting in the middle of the room by herself! Lorcan had to stop himself from losing his cool; nobody deserved to be bound and isolated like this.

Looking over his shoulder, Lorcan made sure the coast was clear then slowly opened the window. Getting Torianna’s attention, he held a finger to his lips before dropping down into the basement. The girl had a confused expression on her face, but stayed quiet as Lorcan cut her bonds. He amazed himself at how well he was doing, as he was no thief, but maybe Endel and Cheval were rubbing off on him. The two climbed back up through the window and left the house behind without incident.

“Hard to believe it, actual evidence that you’re human!” Torianna said. Lorcan rolled his eyes but nonetheless appreciated the sarcasm.

\---

Endel felt welcomed by the breeze of Hyrule Field as the group travelled along the southern road. Thieving was all well and good, but something about the open world was just so... satisfying to experience. As Skallin clanked along the main road, haphazardly retracing his steps, the young agent soaked in the rays of the sun and appreciated the sound of cicadas. There was never any place for these things in the city, and certainly not in headquarters.

Cheval urged them both to pick up the pace, and soon enough they were in the northern plains of Faron Province. A few Bomskits wandered by now and then, but with the end of the Twilight Crisis the more intentionally evil monsters had retreated to caves and forest hideaways. Skallin's cautious progression strayed away from the forest proper and into the edge of Eldin Province, so they had nothing to worry about. Or at least, so it had seemed; Cheval suddenly went stiff and peered over his shoulder thoroughly. "Something the matter?" Endel asked.

"We're being watched." Cheval informed the group, and surely enough there were two figures in the distance heading in their general direction. Everyone dashed for cover as quick as they could, peering out at the figures as they continued down the road. Soon enough Endel could make out enough features to identify them, at which point he felt a shadow of disbelief.

It was Torianna and Lorcan.

The two managed to catch up quickly, with Torianna playing her usual games with Lorcan. “Surprised we managed to catch up,” she teased “since you’re clanking along in that armor!” Cheval gave the two a disinterested expression. “What are you doing all the way out here? I thought you were told to stay in town?”

Lorcan looked at Torianna, who explained the situation to them. Endel listened with concern; Torianna would probably never be able to return to the Network now. Still, it was good to see her again. “So basically…” Endel said “Lorcan here got to be your noble rescuer? I bet he enjoyed that.”

Torianna snickered and Lorcan shot him a sour look. “He even carried me when I said I was tired” the girl added. “So noble!” Everyone but Lorcan laughed at this; the guard just crossed his arms and frowned. 

“So, why did you come with us?” Endel asked, changing the subject. Torianna looked away. “I just wanted to see what that suit of armor would turn up,” she replied; Endel knew she was saving face, but he let it slide. “Well…” he said, “you haven’t missed much, but I think we’re getting close to the caves. Skallin said they were in the fields of Eldin.”

Surely enough, Skallin had them stop not long after at a deep ravine dividing the field in half; he stared down into the dark crevice that had been formed by the Zora River over thousands of years. “We must descend here,” he reported to Cheval, “The caves my master sent me to are in the face of the cliff.” The master thief peered over the edge, then ordered Endel to get some rope and tie it to a stake so they could rappel down to the mouth of the cave. Skallin seemed fairly certain that he knew exactly where to descend, so everyone followed him down the cliff. Endel barely saw the darknut slip into a hole in the wall, but signaled to everyone else where the entrance was. Heart pounding, he and the others entered the cave.

\---

It was dark in the caverns, so Torianna lit a torch she’d thought to grab and let Skallin and Endel lead the way. Behind her, Lorcan clanked away while remaining typically silent; he never ceased to amaze her with his predictability. Nevertheless, he and Endel were good company, better than what she had in the Network. And the missions were so different; there was thieving, sure, but it was for a higher cause. Her dad couldn’t seem to understand that… or maybe he refused to?

She was snapped out of her thoughts by an update from Skallin. “This is the place my master sent me.” The armor informed everyone. “But I do not remember why…” Torianna looked around with wonder; it was an enormous cavern, untouched by humans yet heavy with the presence of something sentient. In the distance there was a pink glow. “Guess we’ll head for the creepy pink light.” Cheval said, and everyone readied their weapons.

“Betcha didn’t see this in the Network.” Endel whispered to her, and she nodded in amazement.

Soon they were standing at a strange pedestal that reverberated magic. Torianna felt at peace here, and yet something felt wrong. Looking up, she saw that a strange mirror with an eye burned into the center was floating in midair. It gave a very different vibe from the rest of the room… a feeling of malice.

“Hey Skallin, does that jog your memory?” she asked, pointing at the mirror. The darknut thought for a moment, then picked up a rock. “It gives me a sense of familiarity, yes… but also terror...” he mused, “I feel...as if I am disobeying the very core of my being by doing what I am thinking to do. But I will press onward.” Skallin nodded in resolution, then threw the rock at the center of the mirror’s eye.

The whole cave suddenly erupted in chaos. Eerie red lights flashed all over the walls, and the floor began to rumble. The mirror seemed to be changing too; Torianna wasn’t sure, but it looked like something was running at them in its reflection. She turned around and saw nothing, but when she looked at the mirror the figures persisted. One of them almost looked like… her?

Torianna’s suspicions were confirmed when suddenly, five shadowy figures emerged from the mirror, each a doppelganger of their party, and drew their weapons to attack.  
Cheval didn’t skip a beat. “Steady, everyone! Let them come to us!” Torianna stood her ground with the rest of the group, then drew her gold and silver daggers and started to fight her doppelganger. At first her enemy seemed to be having just as much trouble hitting her as she did it, but Torianna could slowly feel her stamina failing as the enemy stayed strong.

“This isn’t working!” She called out to the others. “We need to… switch!” Dodging a strike from her doppelganger, she ran ahead and grabbed Lorcan, then pushed him over to fight her own twin as she engaged his.

Suddenly, things were working more in her favor. She managed to get a small cut on the Lorcan doppelganger’s arm as Endel, Cheval, and Skallin swapped opponents. The fake Lorcan let out a growl, and then countered with a heavy blow that Torianna blocked but caused her to lose her balance. Falling on her back and knocking her head on the rock, she recovered from her stupor with just enough time to dodge a plunge from her foe. The Lorcan doppelganger’s sword lodged firmly in the rock, and he was forced to abandon it and use his hands.

Smirking, Torianna thrusted at the fake Lorcan with her golden dagger, but her foe was crafty; he dodged the attack and followed with a swipe to her arm that knocked her weapon out of her grip. Pushing her up against the wall and holding her armed hand in his grip, the doppelganger used his free hand to strangle the thief. Torianna pushed back with all her might against her enemy, knocking him to the ground, then straddled him and quickly plunged her silver dagger into his throat.

The doppelganger let out a gurgled cry, then collapsed into a puddle of darkness. Torianna smirked; she couldn’t help but feel a little smug.

\---

The cry of Lorcan’s doppelganger told Endel that Torianna had won, and soon after the female thief’s own twin was taken out by Lorcan as well. Endel was doing embarrassingly bad against Skallin’s clone; the darknut’s sword was much bigger and longer than his own, and it could swing it with incredible speed. But maybe… maybe he could use that size to his advantage.

Luring the Skallin doppelganger over to a tighter section of the cavern, Endel ducked under a horizontal slash and the blade ricocheted off the narrow walls. Stunned, the darknut staggered for just a moment, long enough for Endel to counter with a stab to the heart. Thankfully the doppelgangers mimicked form but not substance, and his sword cut the ‘armor’ like a hot knife through butter. The shadow crumpled to the ground, then collapsed into a dark puddle.

Looking around, Endel saw that Cheval had defeated his own doppelganger. “I always wondered how fast I could cut you down!” his boss joked. Likewise, Skallin managed to overpower the Cheval clone and slay it; everyone was victorious. Unfortunately it was short lived, as Lorcan pointed out by calling everyone’s attention to the mirror where a small army of doppelgangers were now forming. Endel froze up; there was no way they could take on an army with their numbers.

Then suddenly, the cavern changed. The walls, the floor… the very air around them seemed to glow, and suddenly the mirror and the shadow creatures were gone. In their place was a host of small glowing lights floating around the pedestal, which began to spout water. It wasn’t a pedestal at all; it was a fountain!

“You do not belong in the realm of the fairies,” a voice suddenly proclaimed. “We will not kill you, but you must be banished.” The pink glow was steadily becoming brighter now, almost blinding. And just like that, they were standing in a completely different cave, the only light coming from Skallin’s torch. “I believe the way out is in this direction…” Skallin told them as he motioned with his torch.

“Well, at least that oh so benevolent voice dropped us here instead of killing us.” Endel griped sarcastically. This was why he hated deities and spirits; they were always so eager to intervene for their own good, even if it screwed over regular folk like himself. They didn’t care about you one bit; they abandoned Endel just like his father... because it was convenient.

Cheval’s call for Endel to get moving broke him out of his contemplation, and he caught up with the others on their way out of the cave.

\---

Lorcan was incredibly tired from all this walking, probably more so than the others due to his armor. It didn’t help that Torianna was teasing him as they moved along.

“You really don’t put up much of a fight,” she teased, “I’d say I kicked your butt much faster than you kicked mine…” Lorcan took heavy breaths to calm down. “I guess us Networkers are made of better stuff than you Scoundrels!” She continued. Lorcan clenched his fists and tried to count to ten. “Torianna, you might want to-” Endel started, but Torianna cut him off. “I bet I could fight you one han-”

Lorcan had had enough. A fury of exclamations interlaced with curses started leaving his mouth. “...You arrogant brat!!! ...Only won because it was a phantom!!! ...Can you honestly not be quiet for five seconds!!!? ...Never even got thanks for saving you!!!” Torianna tried to interrupt between her giggles, but Lorcan put a hand over her mouth as he continued. “I ought to tie you up and gag you so you have to sit there quietly while the rats eat you alive!!!”

Suddenly Lorcan realized what he had done. Taking his hands off Torianna, he clapped them over his own mouth and seemed to go pale.  
“So that’s why you don’t talk…” Torianna said in amazement. Lorcan could only keep his fury to himself. Gods damn that thief… he knew she was trouble right from the start!

Lorcan tried to get his mind off his uncharacteristic outburst as they continued down the tunnel. He nearly bumped into Torianna when she suddenly stopped; apparently Skallin had reached the end. “There’s a slab of stone in the ceiling… I’ll try moving it.” the darknut informed them. There was a rough sound of stone on dirt, then a burst of blinding sunlight as the slab was moved aside. Thank goodness… fresh air again, but where were they?

“Looks like a graveyard,” Endel informed them, “probably Kakariko’s.” Kakariko? Had they really gone that far? “Let’s just head into town and see if we can find Telma.” Cheval said. The others nodded in agreement and followed their leader to the nearby village. Lorcan just hoped Telma would be in good spirits as they reached the outskirts of the once great Kakariko.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit longer, hope you all enjoy!

Torianna had been walking in stunned silence ever since Lorcan’s outburst; she hadn’t dared tease the guard further. Part of her was amused at the verbal assault, sure, but she was also a little shaken. Not that she would admit it to anyone, of course.

Skallin broke the awkward silence with a cough. “I… want to apologize for the fruitlessness of our expedition.” He said. Endel looked at him but said nothing. “But I want more than forgiveness. I would like to… join your cause. It is a noble one, and I would be honored to play a part in it.”

Torianna didn’t care one way or the other, but she was surprised when Endel smiled and patted the darknut on the shoulder. “There’s nothing that needs forgiveness, friend, and you’re welcome to join us. You’re a scoundrel like us now!”

Torianna suspected if Skallin had a mouth, he’d be grinning from ear to ear right now.

Everyone walked a bit longer before Torianna was approached by Endel. “Don’t take it too personally, what Lorcan said.” He assured her. “He just gets carried away sometimes.” The other thief forced a laugh and flipped her hair. “Take it personally? Please, it was a riot seeing him lose his temper like that!” She replied. Endel gave her a sceptical look but didn’t say anything.

“So how do we know where to go?” Torianna asked. Cheval let out a chuckle. “the Network may rely on their spies to keep tabs on agents, but the Scoundrels of Virtue have a more… sophisticated method of tracking.” He pulled a glowing green stone tied in a string like a pocket-watch from his pocket. “Ashei and Telma can track these stones with a master stone and intercept us if we end up somewhere we aren’t supposed to be. Ashei has probably seen us travelling off course and will meet us in Kakariko.”  
Torianna had to admit she was impressed, but hid her astonishment. “So, we go into town and wait for her?” She asked. Endel nodded in reply.

Reaching the edge of town, Torianna realised she’d never been to Kakariko before. It didn’t have any prospects for thieves, especially after Ganondorf’s forces ransacked the place. Even so, she was amazed at how run-down it was: houses were missing planks here and there, not a soul wandered the main road, and everything was coated in an orange-red dust carried by the wind.

“No telling where we’ll meet Ashei, but I’d gamble she’s in that building…” Endel said, pointing at what looked like the town hall. Torianna was inclined to agree, as it was the only building close to what she’d call respectable. Not to be upstaged, Cheval suddenly straightened his back and took point, leading them onward. But it wasn’t Ashei waiting for them on the other side of the doors.

It was Telma.

"Well, what do we have here?" She said, looking rather surprised to see her Scoundrels of Virtue mixed into a motley crew. Telma looked like a barkeep from backwater Hyrule, but even when caught off guard her mannerisms were surprisingly articulate. "I'm guessing you're the group that Ashei mentioned. Don't know what brought you to Kakariko, but you folks look like you've been through a war."

Cheval stepped forward rather quickly. "You'd be half right, ma'am. We ran into some trouble in a cave." Everyone else was quiet as the thief gave a recounting of their journey. Telma raised her eyebrows at the mention of a strange mirror and a voice guarding it. It took her a moment, but those deceptively powerful brains of hers were able to think up a plan that must've been brilliant, because her face lit up at the revelation. "Sounds like that voice is the next clue then." She reckoned.

"Alright, good work out there today, boys and girls. But this job isn't over yet." Endel's back visibly slumped as Telma began her orders. "It sounds like you ran into a great fairy. They're stubborn old maids if I ever met one, but they have a weak point; if a maiden commands them, they'd do just about anything. We get ourselves a royal maiden, and we've got the perfect interrogator for that great fairy." The three thieves in the group had their spirits rekindled at that moment, because they knew exactly where Telma was going.

"Everyone go on and get some rest now, because tomorrow night, you'll be stealing yourselves a maiden right out of Hyrule Castle!"

\---

That night, Endel was dreaming. He could tell it was a dream when he looked down at his hands and they were white as the snow; certainly not his. He knew it, and yet he stayed asleep, perhaps out of some morbid curiosity. He… or rather, the man he was seeing through looked around. In front of him was an altar; on it, a strange, lifeless man, skin black as onyx, was sprawled out.

Suddenly, and against Endel’s will, the man’s pale hand reached to his chest, which began to glow. Endel couldn’t feel pain in the dream, but he somehow knew this person was suffering dearly. The hand seemed to be ripping out a part of his body… no, a part of his soul, perhaps as some twisted sacrifice. Suddenly the tearing ended, and Endel sensed the person was somehow… different now. More human? Dismissing these revelations, the man walked to the altar and plunged the glowing essence into the chest of the onyx man.

Everything went white, and Endel woke.

Coming to his senses, he saw that Lorcan and Cheval were already up and about. The latter appeared to be telling the former about their plans for today. “We’ll have a regal carriage ready when we get back to town. As luck would have it, there’s a festival today and Princess Zelda will be in attendance with her handmaids. We take the carriage to the castle, lure a handmaid over, then kidnap her and make our escape. As long as we don’t draw attention to ourselves, this should be easy.”

“Does you wearing one of your ‘disguises’ count as drawing attention?” Endel joked. Cheval gave him a quick, sour glance but said nothing; the master thief was known among the Scoundrels for wearing… unexpected costumes to throw marks off. “Just make sure you don’t sleep through the festival like you slept through my first briefing.” he quipped.

\---

Torianna met with the boys and Skallin in front of the building they’d spent the night in. “So, how exactly are we going to lure this maiden to our carriage? There are plenty of guards and they might be incompetent, but they’re still there.” She asked Cheval after hearing the gist of his plan. “Simple,” their leader replied, “we convince her she’s needed in our carriage for… assisting an injured nobleman, then close the door behind her, muffle her protests, and drive off. The guards won’t see a problem as long as we don’t draw too much attention to ourselves.”

For a second, Torianna thought Endel looked like he wanted to make a joke but thought better of it.

Lorcan tapped Cheval on the shoulder, then motioned to his clothing. “Ah, yeah, we’ll pick up some clothes in town. There should be plenty of stores offering discounts to partygoers.” Cheval said.  
Torianna smiled at him. “Yeah, five-finger discounts.” she slyly added, and the master thief smirked. Lorcan rolled his eyes. “Anyway, we need to get a move on.” Cheval concluded, and they started on their way back to the castle.

It was a long trip back home, made longer by the fact that Lorcan seemed to be avoiding or outright ignoring Torianna. She wasn’t too eager to tease him again so soon, but she still felt a strange closeness to him, something she’d never felt for another person before. She figured this was how normal people developed friendships.

At any rate, the prospect of dressing up and powdering her face for Hyrule’s finest was nauseating. She absolutely hated nobles and dreaded acting like one for the sake of kidnapping some maiden that would probably be just as insufferable. Still, at least she was doing it for a good reason, whatever that was worth to thieves like them.

She put her thoughts aside for a moment to take in the looming Hyrule Castle. Not really as nice as the original, but still majestic. They weren’t far from the gates now. “New idea, how about I avoid the party altogether and wait in the carriage?” She griped. Cheval waved away the notion. “We need a lady around the age of the handmaids to make them feel at ease. Peer support, you could say.” He told her. Torianna groaned, but stopped complaining as they crossed into town.

\---

Endel and the others spent a couple hours scouring for clothes. Skallin seemed worried about his outfit, but Cheval assured him he’d planned ahead for the darknut’s attire. They split up, and surprisingly Torianna went with Endel instead of Lorcan. The thief didn’t say anything, but quietly welcomed a moment to keep an eye on her.

The two went to a rather tired looking store and browsed the clothes for a moment. Endel went with a simple but fashionable suit, while Torianna chose a drab outfit that was clearly chosen because it allowed for more movement. Endel grinned at how well he could read the girl by now, and she gave him a suspicious look in return.

Taking the dress from Torianna, Endel went to the register and payed the full asking price for both outfits. Torianna gave him an odd look as they left the store. “Really? You could have robbed that place easily!” She said after they had walked a block. Endel shook his head. “It’s all about the mark. Stealing from a poor seamstress is different than pickpocketing a wealthy merchant or a noble. I steal because it aids the poor; if I could help another way, I’d ditch thieving in a heartbeat.”

Torianna continued to look at him with incredulity. “Bah, you’ll understand someday…” He said dismissively.

Their shopping completed, everyone met Cheval back at the city gates. He handed Skallin some armor he said he’d “borrowed off a sleeping guard,” and helped the darknut put it on. With everyone ready but him, he slipped into an alleyway for a moment and told everyone to wait. Endel rolled his eyes.

“What’s the holdup?” Torianna asked after a considerable time. “Is he going to take all day or-”

Suddenly Cheval emerged from the alleyway in an extravagant dress, his face powdered and his lips cherry red. Torianna’s jaw dropped. “You… uh… w-what are you doing!?” She asked.

“Oh dearie, I do this all the time to slip by castle guards!” Cheval said with a wink. Lorcan stared stone-faced at his superior while Torianna continued to look astounded. “Cheval does this on his trips to Hyrule Castle.” Endel explained. “He has a character he uses to fit in with the noblewomen. Just… go with it.” He advised. Torianna shut her mouth and Lorcan straightened his face.

After the eventfulness caused by Cheval’s disguise, their leader took them to the stables where a horse-drawn carriage was waiting for them. Endel and Lorcan drove the carriage while Torianna, Cheval, and Skallin rode inside. It didn’t take long to reach the castle, and Endel had a surprisingly good feeling as they disembarked.

\---

Maia swallowed hard; today was the festival day, and she had been chosen by Princess Zelda to attend the event and socialize with the nobility. She knew that the princess intended this appointment to be a gift for her unwavering service to the royal family, but she was absolutely terrified of facing her betters and trying to discuss topics that would interest them. What could a servant maiden like her possibly say to them?

She put these worries aside and went over the logistics of the day. Having completed her morning chores, she had the rest of the afternoon to attend the party, so that would be several hours of trying to be a socialite. Maybe she could hide somewhere? No… if Princess Zelda found out she would be upset. No, she would have to grin and bear it; it was just another chore completed in service of her princess.

Changing into her best dress, Maia left her modest room and leisurely walked to the courtyard. She didn’t care much for dressing up either; she felt much more at ease in her casual clothes, but at least this would also make Zelda happy. Crossing the doorway to the courtyard where the festival was being held, she took a deep breath and prepared for the worst.

After about an hour of conversing with Hyrule’s elite, Maia was already reeling when an odd sight caught her eye. A rather sour-looking girl and her heavily-makeuped companion seemed to be heading straight for her; why would they single her out? Maia got her answer soon enough when the two women approached her.

“Are you a capable lady?” The one with heavy makeup asked. “Please, we need your assistance! A dear friend of ours has fainted, and we need a darling like you to wake her up!”

Maia felt a slight air of suspicion, but couldn’t very well let someone suffer. “I’d be happy to help.” She said, and the two women escorted her to the carriage where their friend was being kept.

Upon seeing the carriage, Maia saw what looked like a thin, young man propped up in one of the seats. “If you could be a dear and step into the carriage, we’d be ever so grateful!” The sour-looking girl said. Why did it sound so forced? Maia set her suspicions aside and stepped into the carriage.

As soon as she took a seat across from the man, he leapt up and covered her mouth with his hand. She tried to scream as the two women got into the carriage, but the man’s hand muffled it. One of the girls grabbed her wrists as she heard two people climb up onto the carriage and crack the reins.

Terror gripped Maia’s entire body as she went into a panic. She kept trying to scream, but now the man was cupping his hand even harder against her mouth, and only a murmur escaped. Wrenching her head away, she broke into hysterical sobbing.

“I-i’m just a p-poor servant girl! I d-don’t have any m-money! P-please, let me go!” She begged and pleaded as the man tried to get his hand back on her mouth.

Suddenly, the sour-looking girl leaned in and snapped her fingers right in front of her nose. “Hey, look at me!” she said, and Maia shut her mouth but breathed heavily out her nose. “What’s your name?” the girl asked.

“...Maia.” She responded, trying to sound brave now despite the tears in her eyes. The girl gave a warm smile as the other woman with heavy makeup reached up to her hair. Pulling away what was apparently a wig, the woman, actually a man, wiped the makeup off his face. “I’m Cheval, master saboteur for the Scoundrels of Virtue, and this,” He said, pointing to the other girl, “is Torianna, our accomplice.”

The sour girl seemed to sweeten up a bit, then shook her hand. “Oh, and this guy is Lorcan.” Cheval added. “Not much of a talker. Endel and Skallin are driving the carriage, you’ll meet them later.”

Now that the fear had subsided, Torianna was curious. “So… why would you steal a servant girl?” She asked. “Simple,” Torianna replied. “You’re going to speak to a great fairy for us.”

\---

As the trip to Eldin progressed, Lorcan sat back and watched as Torianna continued to calm Maia down. Admittedly, she was doing a pretty good job, given that the girl’s talents were more in riling people up than cooling them off. Still, if she could pull this off then she’d have his respect.

“We aren’t going to hurt you, we promise.” She told the frightened girl. She didn’t get better, but she didn’t get worse either. Lorcan figured that was still pretty good; as long as Maia didn’t become a sobbing mess she should still be able to do her job. That was probably all they could expect from a girl like this.

Although… Lorcan could sense some potential in this girl, hidden deep beneath her timidness and fear. The sort of promising aura Endel gave off; that feeling as if they were meant for more than their meager birth would suggest. Lorcan figured that being a bad talker made him a better listener, and as he listened to the girl Maia he got a better and better feeling about her.

Who knows? Maybe Torianna would start giving off that vibe as well… but he doubted it.

\---

Endel and Skallin brought the cart to a halt at the same ravine they’d originally parked at. Fortunately, their rope was still tied to its stake, although the cart they’d originally taken to get here was gone, probably stolen. Endel hopped off the driver’s seat and helped Skallin down, then opened the door for his friends and their hostage.

“So, you must be our guest!” He said to a girl that looked more brave than scared. “I’m Endel, may I ask your name?”

The girl did an awkward curtsy, as if she were doing it more out of habit than respect. “My name is Maia. It’s… a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Endel gave her an odd look. “Is it a pleasure? I wouldn’t say so if I were you.” Maia stammered a bit, but Endel laughed.

“I’m only joking! It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance too.” He said. Maia forced a laugh and seemed to loosen up. “Now,” Endel continued, “You can’t go climbing in that dress and you don’t have a change of clothes, so Skallin can carry you down to the cave. The rest of us need to change.”

Everyone took turns using the carriage to change into their regular clothes, then gathered around Cheval to get their orders. “There shouldn’t be any surprises for us, but just in case we’ll form a line with Maia in the center for her protection.” The master thief explained. Everyone nodded and one-by-one climbed down the rope and into the cave, with Maia piggybacking on Skallin.

The caverns were as dark as ever, but this time they had multiple torches to light the way. Endel was in front of Maia, so he decided to lighten the mood by talking to her.

“So, Maia, what do you do for a living? Are you some sort of noble girl or something?” He asked, trying not to sound condescending. Maia didn’t seem to take any offense. “I’m… a servant girl. I take care of the princess and keep the castle clean.” she said. “Oh.” Endel replied, “Nothing wrong with that, it’s just… when we nabbed you we thought you were a blueblood, because of your nice dress. How in the world did you afford such nice clothes? Did you steal them?” Maia giggled. “Princess Zelda gives me lots of fine clothes. I think she feels sorry for me.” She explained.

Endel looked back at her. “Why would she feel sorry for you?” He asked. Maia seemed to sober up a bit before replying. “Because… I’m an orphan.”

This made Endel feel guilty for dragging up something unpleasant; he scrambled for something to say in response. “Well, I know how that is. My parents weren’t around for most of my life. Dad was arrested for treason when I was young, and my mother died trying to keep me fed.” He could feel Maia looking at him with pity, so he waved his hand. “It’s nothing for me to feel bad about. I’m a Scoundrel now, so I’m surviving. My parents failed me, the gods failed me… but I won’t fail myself.”

The two walked along quietly for the rest of the trip. Endel liked Maia well enough, but he wished the girl would toughen up a bit. He ceased those thoughts and turned back to the mission as they came upon the fairy fountain.

Stepping forward with some trepidation, Maia faced the fountain and cleared her throat. “great fairy, we beseech you, come forth!” She said in a clear tone, and once again the cavern glowed pink. This time, however, a woman with several wings on her back appeared in front of the fountain. “Maiden,” the great fairy spoke, “how may we assist you?”

“We wish to know why monsters have been visiting your fountain, and how my friends can assist in their banishment.” Maia continued; Endel had to admit she was doing pretty good. The great fairy seemed saddened by this question. 

“Not monsters; children. Some evil force has been sending young ones transformed by a dark power to do its bidding. We can repel them, but a cure eludes us. You must seek the scholars of Hyrule if you wish to be of assistance. They can help you find the cure you need.”  
The great fairy disappeared, and they were left alone. “Great, just great!” Torianna blurted, “Now we’re running errands for a great fairy to find someone we’ve never heard of which MIGHT lead to a cure I don’t care about!”

“Torianna, how could you be so cruel?” Maia said. “There are suffering children that need our help!” Endel weighed their options in his mind before responding. “Ok, this is definitely something we need to follow up on,” he replied; Torianna rolled her eyes. “But! We need to follow up with Telma first. She might be able to help us. Do you agree, Cheval?”

Their leader smirked. “You’re getting better at leading, it’s about time.” Endel gave a small smile as he continued. “Endel is right, we need to visit Telma and report in. Let’s head for Kakariko!”


	5. Chapter 5

Maia was shocked at everything that had happened in the cave. Why did that great fairy listen to her, a servant girl, as if she had authority? She’d overheard Endel say that only maidens could command great fairies… none of this made any sense.

Her thoughts turned to her captors; sure, they were nice enough people, but they had still kidnapped her. She needed to be back at the castle, no doubt Princess Zelda was worried about her.

“Um, excuse me, but when are you taking me back to the castle?” she asked Cheval. He shrugged. “Whenever we’re sure you won’t be needed anymore,” he replied nonchalantly. Maia was a little upset with that response, but she kept it to herself.

The group travelled back the way they came this time, eventually reaching the cave entrance. Skallin once again let Maia ride on his back (she was beginning to like him the most), and together they ascended. Thankfully the carriage was where they left it, and this time Lorcan and Skallin drove while Maia was inside with Endel, Torianna, and Cheval.

“Endel, when may I go home?” Maia asked the thief. She felt like he would give her a better answer than Cheval. “That’s a fair question,” Endel replied, “How about this? Talk with our leader and if you’re not satisfied with what she has to say, we’ll drop you off back at the castle.”

Maia nodded politely; she wasn’t entirely happy with Endel’s proposal, but at least it gave her a chance to return to the castle.

\---

Torianna weighed her options in her mind as they returned to Kakariko. It looked like if she stuck with this group, it would be for the long haul. She could go back to the Network, but that would mean facing her father, and that definitely wouldn’t go well. And besides… Endel and Lorcan weren’t such bad people, and Cheval was a much better leader than her dad. She convinced herself that she was staying with the Scoundrels of Virtue for practical reasons and not just sentimentality.

Everyone trudged back into the large building where they’d first seen Telma and found their leader waiting for them. “So,” she asked, “what’s the good news?”

Cheval stepped forward. “I wouldn’t call it good, ma’am.” he replied, then explained everything that had happened when Maia summoned the great fairy. It was hard for Torianna to read this woman’s mood, she had to admit; she wasn’t sure if this Telma lady was pleased with their progress or disappointed that they’d come back with more questions than answers.

Telma finally replied with a sigh. “Well, kids… it looks like we only know we need to find a scholar. And I can only think of one… Shad.” Torianna was confused; why did Telma seem so reluctant to find this scholar? Endel and Cheval looked pretty disappointed as well.

“Torianna,” Endel explained, “Shad was a leader in the resistance force that would become the Scoundrels of Virtue. He abandoned us to pursue his research, and we don’t keep in touch anymore.” Torianna thought he sounded like someone she wouldn’t get along with.

“Well,” Telma said, “it is true we haven’t kept in touch, but we do know where he is. He set up in Faron Woods and hasn’t left the place in years. That boy thought he’d found an ancient Hylian temple and wanted to dig it all up. Crazy, if you ask me…” Yeah, Torianna thought the guy sounded pretty flaky.

While Cheval and Telma finished the debriefing, the others were dismissed to their quarters. Torianna took it as a chance to fraternize with the people she’d probably be spending a lot of time with, and got a game of cards started. “Hearts, standard rules. Me and Lorcan versus Endel and Skallin.” She explained.

“I appreciate the gesture, but…” Skallin faltered, “I would like to sit this one out. Maia, would you like to take my place?” The servant girl nodded and sat across from Endel… Torianna thought the girl seemed a little happier to be playing alongside him. Probably just her learning to identify with her captors.

Maia struck up the conversation during their first hand. “So… you’re all Scoundrels of Virtue?” She asked. Torianna shook her head. “They’re Scoundrels, I’m Network.” she corrected the other girl. Maia seemed to falter again, so Endel picked up the conversation as he revealed his trump card.

“Torianna is the kid of an important Network boss, but she left them behind and Lorcan rescued her.” He explained, then a question seemed to form in his head. “What did you need rescuing from, anyway?”

The question made Torianna’s body freeze; she barely managed to cover up her dissatisfaction with what Endel asked. “It’s… nothing really.” She finally answered. Lorcan was looking at her with… concern? That was odd. She decided to force out an explanation as she played her second winning card in a row.

“Da-... the boss was angry at me. He didn’t like that I’d been gone so long and returned with a Scoundrel.” she explained. “He said I had to be punished.”

Endel looked concerned now as well, barely noticing Lorcan’s winning play. “Sounds like a bang-up guy.” he half-heartedly joked. Torianna didn’t laugh.

“In the Network we call punishment retribution.” she continued. “It’s a form of atonement that reflects the nature of your offense. Since I showed carefree use of my freedoms by returning late and poor judgment of association by hanging around a Scoundrel, I was to have my freedom taken away by being bound to a chair and my association taken away by staying in isolation.”

Endel’s jaw dropped. “Torianna, I am-”

The girl cut him off as she played her last trump card. “Game over, we win.” she said flatly and left. At least she didn’t tell them that her dad was more than a big wig; he was the number one crime lord in the Network, a terrifying man with incredible influence.

But that wasn’t any of their business.

\---

Maia fidgeted in her seat after Torianna left. She wanted to help the other girl in return for the kindness she had shown to her, but it didn’t seem possible right now. Maybe when Torianna had cooled her temper, she would be able to talk to her.

For now, though, she remembered earlier that Endel suggested she talk to Telma before deciding to leave the Scoundrels of Virtue behind. Figuring that the leader and Cheval were probably finished with their debriefing, Maia excused herself, then left for the building they’d met in earlier.

On the way there, Cheval exited the meeting place and stopped by Maia. “Going to have a chat with Telma?” he asked. Maia nodded. “Good, just tell her what’s on your mind; don’t worry, she can handle it. Good luck!” he said, waving her off before heading back to the sleeping quarters. Maia waved back awkwardly, then swallowed hard; somehow Cheval had made her more anxious, but she appreciated his advice.

Stepping into the meeting room, Telma greeted her with a warm smile. “The young maiden… I’ve been wanting to speak to you, hun.” she said, gesturing her over. Summoning her courage, Maia stepped forward and cleared her throat. “I just want to know what your group plans to do with me.” She asked politely.

Telma shook her head. “That’s up to you, but first, let me fill you in on why I want you to stay.” The leader of the Scoundrels seemed to stare of into the distance. “When Link put a stop to that Twilight mess, my friends and I helped. We thought backing that boy would bring Hyrule into a golden age of prosperity, but we were wrong. Greedy, cruel men took over the kingdom, and now the hope we had is almost gone.”

Now Telma turned her gaze back to Maia. “But now, I see gals like you, and I know we can win Hyrule back. You may not believe it, but I can feel that fire in you, a flame to burn away all those junky, bad men. Let that fire grow, and you’ll be doing a bigger service to the princess than just cleaning her chambers. So, whaddya say to staying with us and finding your true potential?”

Maia tried to politely smile, but she felt intimidated by Telma’s speech. “You are very kind, but what use would I be to your group? I can’t fight, or sneak, or do anything really.”

Telma shook her head again. “It’s not about what you can do now, hun. It’s about what you can learn. And trust me, hanging around Endel and the others will teach you a lot. Believe in yourself!”

Those words resonated in Maia’s head for a moment. Believing in herself… was she really capable of more than cooking and cleaning all day? Could she really save Hyrule? Deep inside, beneath all the fear, she could feel a voice saying ‘yes!’ and she wanted to listen to that voice, desperately. Yes, she could learn to be a Scoundrel! Yes, she could save Hyrule!

“I’ll do it!” She suddenly exclaimed, so loud she surprised herself. Telma smiled from ear to ear. “Attagirl!” she replied, “Talk to Cheval about getting geared up. Welcome to the Scoundrels of Virtue!”

\---

Endel saw Maia enter the building with a warm smile on her face, and he knew she’d joined them. Good; she may have a lot to learn, but he had a feeling they would need her. At any rate, a new problem came to his sights when Torianna returned to the lobby. She bumped into Maia but, surprisingly, greeted her with a warm smile before coming back to their table.

“That was a pretty good game, huh Lorcan?” Torianna said, and the silent guard nodded warily. Endel thought about saying something but decided not to stir the pot. “Maia is pretty interesting, you know?” she continued, “worries about getting back to the castle, but I can’t imagine why. Who wants to spend all day scrubbing floors?”

“She’s probably more worried about Princess Zelda,” Endel replied, “Doesn’t want to make the princess worry about her.” Torianna shrugged. “And I have a good feeling about her now, she seems… different.” Endel concluded.

“At any rate, we need to go to bed.” Cheval interjected. “We’ve got a busy day ahead of us.”

That night, Endel was dreaming about the man again. For some reason, his vision was warped and blurred, and Endel felt like the man was in horrible turmoil. In front of him were two corpses, and beyond that, the biggest man Endel had ever seen. The huge man held a black greatsword, and his hair seemed to be made of strands of fire.

Then Endel understood; this enormous man had killed the people in front of him, and Endel’s vision was blurry from tears. The two dead people must have been very dear to the man Endel was seeing through.

Suddenly, the huge man with flaming hair extended his hand, and Endel’s vision went haywire as the man was lifted into the air by a whirlwind. The last thing Endel saw was fields of molten rock, a place he was unfamiliar with, before the dream ended.

Endel woke up startled, still bothered by the nature of these dreams. Nobody else was awake yet, so he got up, dressed, and decided to wait outside for the others. 

He spent the rest of the morning in a trance of rumination until it was time to go.

\---

Lorcan volunteered to lead the group into the forest, and as they made their way to its edge he lightened up considerably. Not only did he do a lot of work for the Scoundrels in the forest (agents that detested underhanded work often organized forest raids to exterminate monsters), but he found the place so relaxing that he’d use any excuse to go there. With a spring in his step, he led the group through Faron province and into the woods.

He led them to an enormous tree stump, the earth beneath it giving way to a chasm over which the stump was suspended. Pointing off to the right, the group was led to a cliffside with a zipline leading off into thick fog.

“This ought to be fun,” Endel quipped as they took turns riding the zipline. Eventually they were all on the other side, where a series of tightropes led to an incredibly thick patch of trees. Crossing those with some difficulty (Skallin pushed the weight capacity of the rope to its limits), they finally arrived in the sacred meadow where Lorcan knew they would find Shad.

In this sacred part of the forest, rocky hills and huge, thick trees prevented most sunlight from reaching them, creating perpetual darkness if not for the silver fog practically radiating light. The end result was a peaceful, green glow that brought Lorcan a measure of serenity.

“What the hell…” Torianna muttered, thankfully at a loss for words. Lorcan smiled and led them up cliffs, through springs, and over fallen trees.

“So, what’s this Shad guy like?” Torianna finally asked, breaking the silence. Endel looked back at her. “Smart, but eccentric. Likes to use words like ‘crikey’ and ‘blazes’ a lot. Pretty funny guy.” he explained.

Torianna grinned. “Sounds enjoyable.” she said.

Endel slowed down a bit to walk alongside Maia. Surely he didn’t think the girl would run off in this place… or was he trying to keep her company? Lorcan honestly couldn’t tell at this point, so he focused back on the meandering road through the forest.

It wasn’t long before the group began to tease him out of boredom. “So, Lorcan,” Torianna began, “what makes you so familiar with these woods? Do you come here to read to the Skull Children? Tell jokes? Sing?” Lorcan ignored her, but then the others joined in. “Oh, I bet it’s the reading, bless his soul.” Endel joked in reply. Lorcan let out a sharp breath of air.

“Oh, but Skull Children only play with other kids.” Cheval reminded them; Lorcan let out a sigh of relief. “Wait…” Cheval continued, “Lorcan looks like a little kid, so they probably play with him!” Lorcan frowned severely. “No, I think he sings,” Torianna chimed in, “loud and clear for all the forest people to hear!”

Lorcan was at his wit’s end, but thankfully at that moment they came upon the forest clearing he’d been leading them to. Brilliant rays of sun shined on them at last, and there was no eerie mist, but even better they saw a camp set up in the middle of the clearing where an odd little man was reading a book.

“Shad!!” Endel hollered, and the little man nearly jumped out of his skin. “Heavens above boy, you scared me half to death!” Shad replied, then seemed to stiffen. “You’re… Scoundrels of Virtue! Oh dear, I hope my old chum Telma hasn’t come to tie up loose ends!”

Cheval looked at him funny for a moment, then shook his head. “No, no, we’re here to get your help.” He said, then explained everything that had happened to them. Shad listened intensely, his jaw dropping when the subject of the great fairy came up.

“Great Hylia! Do you lads realize what this means?” He asked; the others looked at him confused. “...it means that powerful magic is afoot! Crikey, if the great fairies can’t do anything about this dark magic- and great fairies are no slouches, lads- then your only chance is to use the Master Sword!”

As Shad went into a lengthy explanation of ‘the power of the Master Sword’ and ‘its cocktail of divine and Hylian magics,’ Lorcan became more interested in Endel, who seemed to have something on his mind. The thief might not have known it, but Lorcan saw him out in front of their quarters this morning, staring off into space. What had he been so perturbed about that he was still so out of it? Not even Lorcan could figure it out.

“So,” Shad continued, getting Lorcan’s attention, “to access the powers of the Master Sword, you need a vessel that can contain energy. Thankfully I have one, borrowed from the Hero of Twilight himself!” With that, the eccentric man pulled an ornate, green rod out of a knapsack nearby and handed it to Cheval. “This is the Dominion Rod!” Shad explained. “Originally it could only control special totems, but my research and its proximity to magical locations has supercharged it to allow manipulation of many different energies and objects. I think you will find it quite potent!”

“Thanks Shad, we’ll use this to get what we need… and we’ll let Telma know you helped us.” Cheval told him, then nodded at Lorcan who led them deeper into the clearing.

\---

Endel was mostly out of it until they came upon the Master Sword. It was a brilliant weapon; the blade sparkled like silver and its royal purple hilt seemed to glow with energy. Torianna reached out to grab it, but Lorcan pulled her back and glared at her darkly.

“What?” she asked, but the guardsman shook his head. Cheval waved the rod over the Master Sword, and a strange, pulsating energy seemed to detach from the sword and enter the rod. Figuring their job was finished, they turned back to the outer clearing.

Saying goodbye to Shad, the group retraced their steps to the forest entrance. Other than Torianna inflicting her usual torment on Lorcan, the group seemed quiet and focused. Endel returned to his thoughts on the dreams that had been plaguing him. Who was this recurring character, and what was his significance to him? Perhaps as the dreams continued he would get an answer.

Just as they were leaving the giant tree stump, a large group of birds suddenly dislodged themselves from another clearing and flew off. Lorcan looked in their direction suspiciously and drew his weapon. “I think pretty-boy wants us to get our weapons ready…” Torianna warned, and everyone followed suit.

As if in response, a great cacophony of monster cries filled the air, and where the birds had taken flight earlier a host of birdlike kargaroc appeared. On their backs, Endel could see Bulblins with their bows nocked.

This wasn’t going to go well.


	6. Chapter 6

The mounted archers circled their group as Torianna readied her daggers. All the others prepared for a fight except for Maia, who let out a cry and cowered on the ground. Torianna rolled her eyes; that kid had a long way to go in terms of learning some courage. For now, she guarded the frightened girl and steeled herself for what was looking to be a losing battle.

Soon the arrows started raining down, and Torianna had to dodge frantically as they peppered the ground. “Hey leader, any ideas on how we can get out of this mess?” she shouted at Cheval. Their commander was trying his best to think of something but was looking as helpless as the rest of them. 

Suddenly, Torianna remembered what Shad told them about the Dominion Rod; it could control anything! Maybe they could use that to their advantage?

“Cheval! The Rod! Try swinging the Rod at the arrows!” she hollered. Cheval’s eyes lit up as he realized what she was getting at, and he made a broad sweep of the Dominion Rod as the next volley of arrows came flying their way.

The arrows stopped, as if held in midair. “Swipe it again!” Endel suggested, and Cheval did so. The arrows turned around, then darted back to their owners, tearing through Bulblins and Kargarocs alike. Most of them fell to the ground, and those that survived retreated.

“Good thinking, Torianna.” Endel said to her. “We owe you our lives!” Torianna flipped her hair behind her head and smirked. “Yeah, at least one of us can keep their head in a fight!” She joked.

She turned her attention to Maia, who was looking a bit woozy. Suddenly, she gave a lurch and tumbled to the ground; Torianna wasn’t even surprised. Letting out an audible sigh, she and Endel walked over to the girl to check for wounds.

“No injuries, thank goodness…” Endel said, to which Torianna rolled her eyes. “No thanks to her cowering on the ground,” she replied. Endel looked at her with an expression Torianna couldn’t comprehend; was he angry at her?

“Give her a break,” the other thief warned, “she’s never fought a day in her life.” Torianna shrugged when Endel turned his back to her to face the unconscious Maia; why did he have to be so honorable?

At any rate, everyone but Maia and Skallin had a few grazes that needed tending to in case the arrows were infected. Lorcan tapped her on the shoulder and had her sit down as he applied disinfectant to her wounds. It was then that she noticed he had a deep wound himself where he’d pulled an arrow out of his shoulder.

“I appreciate the courtesy of helping a girl first and all, but don’t you have a hole in your shoulder to worry about?” she asked him. Lorcan shook his head in response and started bandaging her wounds, though she could tell he was breathing heavily from the pain.

After her wounds were bandaged, Torianna took her turn disinfecting Lorcan’s damaged shoulder and stitching it shut, then bandaging it as best as she could. Turning back to Endel, she found him still trying to wake up Maia while doing nothing about the nasty cut on his arm. Walking over, she jerked the boy into a sitting position and started caring for him as well.

“You boys and your chivalry… don’t you realize you’re going to bleed out before she wakes up?” Torianna berated him. Endel shook his head. “I’m doing fine, but she’s our responsibility. When we get back to Kakariko I’m training her to hold her own in combat.”

“Yeah, good luck with that.” Torianna sarcastically replied; Endel glared back at her but said nothing. Soon enough he and everyone else was taken care of and Maia was back on her feet.

“We need to get a move on,” Cheval ordered, and the others followed him back out of the forest.

\---

At the gateway to the woods, Endel spotted a strange flyer posted on a nearby tree; it was a wanted poster for Maia. “Wanted: any information regarding the capture of Zelda’s attendant. Contact the royal guard with any leads you may have on the abduction of Maia…” Endel read.

Everyone turned to Maia in disbelief.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Torianna said, “you’re Princess Zelda’s personal maid!?” Maia only blushed and looked down. “No wonder the great fairy listened to you!” Torianna continued. “You’re practically nobility! Who were your parents!?”

“Maia doesn’t know her parents,” Endel explained. Torianna shrugged. “Wish I could say the same…” she replied nonchalantly. “Anyway, I hope you guys like being wanted criminals, because that’s what we are now.”

The atmosphere got significantly heavier as they crossed the edge of the woods. Even worse, Endel and the others could see two armed men approaching fast; they didn’t look like guards, but they could be bounty hunters. When it became clear that they couldn’t get away, Cheval told everyone to stand their ground and keep their hands on their weapons. It didn’t take long for the two men to reach them.

“Greetings, travellers,” the apparent leader said; Endel thought he looked a lot like Torianna. “We don’t want to bother you, but surrender the girls to us or things might get nasty.”

“Tough luck, bounty hunter, we’re keeping these two.” Cheval said, drawing his blade and standing in front of Maia. Likewise, Lorcan drew his sword and stood in front of Torianna. Looking at both girls, Endel thought Maia looked absolutely terrified, but Torianna looked… angry?

The leader smirked. “Seems you’re the less intelligent type. Luckily, we planned for this… get ‘em!” Suddenly three more men jumped out of the bushes behind them and threw something at the ground. Endel realized too late that they were deku nuts, and their blinding flash left him and his friends sightless for a few crucial seconds. When their sight returned, Maia and Torianna were gone.

“Shoot! Where’d they go!?” Endel shouted, and Lorcan grabbed his sleeve, getting his attention so he could point out seven distant figures. Before Cheval could even give the order to pursue, another terrifying screech filled the air; four more kargarocs soared over their heads in pursuit of the bounty hunters. More kargarocs… but why were they passing up the easier prey in favor of five heavily armed men?

Endel got his answer when the kargarocs swooped in and picked up the bounty hunters and the two girls before taking off for Castle Town. “What are we waiting for, let’s chase them!” Endel shouted to Cheval, but his boss seemed to be thinking about something. “Come on!” Endel told him, but Cheval held up a finger.

“We were attacked by kargarocs in the woods too… don’t you find it odd that more of them just helped those bounty hunters? And how when they attacked us earlier they went out of the way to avoid harming Maia? And how could mere bounty hunters, whose leader, I might add, looked a lot like Torianna, know we’re all the way out here?” he said.  
Revalation sparked in Endel’s mind from what Cheval had said; those ‘bounty hunters’ were Network agents with a relative of Torianna’s as their leader, and they were taking orders from someone who could control those monsters and wanted Maia.

What the hell was going on here?

\---

Torianna hit the roof of the Network base with a thud alongside Maia. Her brother Jaydon, a skilled thief and her father’s most trusted subordinate, had apparently come up with this plan to capture her while making money on the return of Maia to the castle. Though knowing Jaydon, his plan probably also involved silencing Maia so she wouldn’t go blabbing about what she’d seen.

“Take the bounty to the castle. Bring the reward back here.” Jaydon said to one of the other thieves, and the man grabbed Maia and descended from the roof. Torianna didn’t say anything, but glared at her brother with all the hatred she could muster.

“We’ll take your new friend back to the castle, and the reward she gets us will go to the Network’s coffers. You should be happy.” He said calmly. Torianna knew better than to trust him, and continued to give him a look that could kill.

Jaydon shrugged. “Dad sent me to get you, the girl was just a bonus. He has to make an example of you now, not to mention release all that anger of his...” he continued. Torianna just glared at him. “Do you realize how much damage you’ve done to our integrity and our dad? You know you’d have to come home eventually-”

“Maybe I didn’t want to come home!” Torianna cut him off.

Jaydon shook his head. “Maybe what you want doesn’t matter.” he replied, then took her by the arm and walked her down the roof trapdoor and deep into the Network base. They stopped at the door to their dad’s office.

“Listen to me.” Jaydon warned her, “There's two ways you can do this. Either you can carry on fighting like you are and have the Network think of you as a traitor, which will likely make your situation much worse. Or you can apologise to Dad, grit your teeth through the punishment, and make your life a whole lot easier. It your choice, Tori."

She raised her chin indignantly, sharply stamping on Jaydon's foot. He glared at her as she spat, "don't ever call me Tori." She felt an internal thrill of pride at her one last act of defiance. Jaydon sighed heavily, pulled open the door, and dragged her inside.

Their father was pacing back and forth behind his chair as they came in. Jaydon sat her down forcefully and retreated to a corner. Their father stopped pacing and looked at Torianna with ferocity.

“I truly don’t understand you, young lady.” he quietly rebuked her. “Why… why would you abandon us for those pathetic Scoundrels?” Torianna quietly stared at him with defiance; she knew she could tell him about the way Scoundrels conducted themselves with honor and worked for a cause while the Network had no decency. She could tell him that her friends in the Scoundrels of Virtue were better to her in a few days than the Network was in all her life.

“They must have bribed you. What did they offer? What was the petty price of your betrayal?” he pleaded.

Torianna smirked. “They offered me nothing.” she responded flatly.

“Then WHY…” he snapped, then regained his composure but leaned inches from her face. “... is your respect for our Network truly so small that you’d go and screw us all over!?”

Torianna avoided the question by focusing on her father’s features; she could see the wrinkles and grey hairs that marked his age, but knew that he was still a force to be reckoned with, physically and verbally.

“You don’t understand the repercussions of your actions, young lady,” he continued. “Our reputation is soiled by your poor decisions. We can’t afford to have you ruining our plans and scaring away our biggest client in years… so you’ll be confined to your room. Permanently.”

Torianna’s body stiffened and her blood seemed to freeze upon hearing this. She knew that her father couldn’t kill her, so he was locking her away to never see her friends again, probably bound and gagged to boot except when forced to eat. She felt herself shaking as Jaydon picked her up.

“She’s all yours, Jaydon,” her father said, dismissing them. Jaydon grabbed her by the arm again and dragged her to her bedroom. “Trust me, you’ll thank dad for this when you realize what you’ve done,” he told her, but Torianna just wanted to yell curses at him.

As they entered the room, Torianna got another nasty surprise; someone, probably her father, had completely smashed the place up. The only thing that wasn’t wrecked was a small chair that Jaydon sat her down in and began to tie her up. Making sure to keep the bonds tight, he then wrapped a thick piece of cloth around her head to cover her mouth, then another to cover her eyes.

Torianna could only let out a muffled scream as he left the room.

\---

Lorcan was wheezing; he and the others were running toward Castle Town in the hopes that once they arrived, there would be clues as to where their friends were taken.

Wait, friends? Did he really just think of Torianna as a friend? And he barely knew Maia… still, both of them seemed like people with good hearts. Torianna was rude, and Maia was a bit of a coward, but they were both still quality people to him. Torianna’s father, though… he didn’t blame her from wanting to get away from that man.

Suddenly a new thought popped into his head; the hideout! He’d found Torianna there before, and Cheval pointed out that one of the Network thieves looked like Torianna, so maybe they should look there first?

Lorcan dashed up to Endel and tapped him on the shoulder, then gestured that he had an idea. “You think you know something about our friends? Great, lead the way!” Endel insisted, then fell back to let Lorcan take the lead.

Reaching the town gates, Lorcan took them through the city streets and to the Network base. “Is this where you found Torianna last time?” Endel asked, and Lorcan nodded. “Great, I have a plan then. You and Skallin get Torianna, while Cheval and I look for Maia in the castle.”

“What makes you think Maia is there?” Cheval asked. “And even if she is, why would she want to rejoin us?” Endel shrugged. “I feel like Network thieves wouldn’t have much use in a hostage. They’d rather get the reward for her return. And Maia… wants to be with us. I know it doesn’t look like it, but I can sense something in her.”

Lorcan nodded in agreement; Endel was getting pretty good at sizing people up. “Ok, let’s move out!” Cheval concluded, and the two thieves left Lorcan and Skallin to rescue Maia.

“Pardon me, Lorcan, but do you have a plan of attack?” Skallin inquired, and the guard nodded in reply. Pointing at the entrance to the base, Lorcan made the motion of drawing a sword and swinging it around wildly. The darknut seemed to understand.

“I see, then I will create a distraction while you sneak in. Excellent!” he exclaimed. Lorcan nodded, then darted down a back alley as Skallin went to make his distraction.

Taking a longer, indirect path to the back of the Network base, Lorcan first looked in the basement window for Torianna but didn’t see her there. He decided the basement was at least a good place to infiltrate the headquarters and opened the window, then slipped in. Landing on the basement floor, he quickly and quietly opened the door to the main floor and looked around for Network agents.

Nobody in sight. So far, so good.

Trying to stay hiddent, he continued to the empty front lobby (Skallin could be heard causing a fight outside) and took the stairs up to the second floor. Seeing the second floor hallway though he felt discouraged; there were several closed doors here, probably locked, that he’d have to check. Gritting his teeth and hoping Skallin could keep those Network agents distracted, he started checking the doors.

The first few doors were unlocked but empty; he supposed he was lucky to find the doors unlocked, but this was wasting time. The next few were locked, but looking into the keyholes revealed empty rooms again. Cursing his poor luck, he tried a door at the end of a hallway and found it, too, was locked. Looking in the keyhole was worthless too, as the room was dark.

But wait, what was that sound? Lorcan tried pressing his ear to the keyhole, and heard a faint stream of shouts and curses. It had to be Torianna!

Thinking fast, Lorcan took a risk and kicked the door open. The door was no match for his metal boots, and it flew open to reveal Torianna in a chair, bound and gagged. Tearing away the gag, the girl ceased her noises and began breathing heavily.

Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder. Turning around and expecting a Networker, Lorcan instead found Skallin standing over him. “All Network agents have all been neutralized, so I came to help,” he informed them, then began helping unbind Torianna. “Jaydon and my dad must not be here, then. If they fought you, they’d twist you into a pretzel.” Torianna quipped.

Lorcan ignored her for now, and finished cutting the rope. When he was finished he grabbed Torianna to steady her, then helped her get to her feet. The girl jerked away from him after gaining her balance.

“Thanks…” she muttered. Lorcan took it as a major compliment since she’d avoided insults, but now there were more pressing matters. Footsteps could be heard below, suggesting reinforcements were scouring the building for the intruders. How were they going to get out of this?

\---

After the Network agent returned her to Hyrule Castle and got his reward, Maia was taken to her room for a moment of rest. Part of her was relieved; she knew she couldn’t cut it as a Scoundrel, so maybe it was for the best that she was back home.

And yet… she didn’t feel satisfied. A strange feeling of not belonging here had crept into her and was starting to take root. Her thoughts turned to being on the open road again, and to the kindness of Endel and the others. The life of a maid seemed so boring now. But it didn’t matter; there was almost no chance that those Scoundrels of Virtue wanted her, so she might as well settle back into being an attendant.

After a couple hours, a guard she didn’t recognize came to her room and said she was being summoned for questioning. She followed the man deep into the lower levels of the castle, then entered a simple room where another strange man was sitting at a desk.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” he told her, then motioned for her to take a seat opposite him. She did so, and was asked some questions about the number of her kidnappers, what they looked like, and why they kidnapped her. Maia answered the questions, but didn’t give away the names of her friends when asked.

“One last question,” the man said, “these captors… were they allied with the Scoundrels of Virtue?” Maia was perplexed by this question, but didn’t say so. “No,” she answered flatly. She suddenly didn’t trust this man if he wanted to ask such a weird question. Why would he think the Scoundrels of Virtue were behind this?

“Very well. Thank you for your time,” he said, then suddenly got up and left. She heard the door close and lock behind her.

“Um, hello?” She called out. Getting up, she went to the door and began to knock… no response. “Hello!?” she tried again, then banged on the door. What was happening!? Deciding that there must be some sort of mistake, she returned to her seat and decided to wait for this to sort itself out.

After a couple hours, the door finally opened again, and this time another guard entered. Closing the door behind him, the man didn’t notice it slide back open as he drew his sword. “It’d be a real shame if a castle guard killed Zelda’s maid…” The man said with a chuckle, then approached her. Maia let out a scream, then jumped out of her chair and pressed herself against the far wall.

Suddenly there was a flash as a shadowy figure crept up behind the man, grabbed him by his hair, and slit his throat. Scarlet blood spilled out of the wound; seeing it made Maia feel ill. She tried to keep her composure as the man’s body crumpled to the floor.

“Sorry you had to see that,” her rescuer said; she knew that voice! Endel stepped forward and helped her steady herself, then gave her water to drink from his canteen. Trying not to look at the dead man, she turned her gaze to him.

“Maia, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to come with us,” he finally told her. “I won’t make you do it, and nobody will judge you for staying here, but I can’t guarantee your safety in the castle.”

Maia looked at the man again by accident. Seeing his blood everywhere, and knowing that it could have been herself dead on the floor… it was too much. She collapsed on the floor and vomited, tears streaming down her face. She didn’t belong anywhere; not with the Princess, not with the Scoundrels. She was a dead girl walking, because either she would stay here and die from an assassin’s blade or die on the streets as a failed Scoundrel.

Getting back to her feet but still crying, Maia had a new thought. What if she could make it as a Scoundrel? She’d never know unless she tried, and she’d rather learn to defend herself than die helpless in the castle.

Wiping her eyes and face, she saw Endel was staring at her. “I won’t say fate brought you to us, because fate means you never had a choice. But you do have a choice, Maia.” he said, then offered her his hand. “So, do you choose the Scoundrels of Virtue?”

Maia nodded. “Good,” Endel said with a smile, “then we need to leave. Together.”


	7. Chapter 7

Lorcan’s hairs were on their end; the sound of Network agents was getting closer, and they had nowhere to hide. He looked anxiously at Torianna.

“Don’t worry, I’m ready to fight,” she said, then gestured around the wrecked room. “Dad made it clear that my old life is dead and gone.”

Smiling, Lorcan drew his sword and surveyed the room. It was spacious enough in here, and since they were at the end of a hallway they could bottleneck their enemies. Taking a position at the doorway, he gestured for the others to converge there as well.

Network agents started clambering up the stairs and spotted them. Drawing their swords, they prepared to attack, but then something unexpected happened. Waving his sword about, Skallin let out a deafening war cry and charged the agents head-on. The Network thieves immediately panicked and ran away.

“...Wow, that made things easier,” Torianna said. Lorcan was gobsmacked. Turning back to them, the darknut seemed pleased with himself.

“I suspected they would be easy to rout.” Skallin explained.

\---  
Preparing to leave the holding cell, Endel stopped for a moment to examine the body of Maia’s would-be killer. The man seemed to be well-equipped; knives, keys, and strangest of all, lockpicks. Why would an assassin with keys to the cell need lockpicks? Unless…

“This guy was a thief, not an assassin,” Endel said aloud. Maia looked at him with confusion. “He’s not even carrying an assassin’s blade, just a junky knife,” he explained to her. Then he looked closer at the man’s face and his eyes widened.

It was one of the Network thieves from the forest road. Endel pointed this out to Maia.

“But… why would a Network thief turn me in and then kill me?” she asked. Endel couldn’t answer her; he was just as confused as she was.

“We’ll worry about this later. For now, we need to get to Cheval.” he said.

\---

They left the headquarters unopposed, Lorcan leading them back to the center of town so they could meet up with Endel. Their adrenaline wearing off, Lorcan noticed that Torianna was unusually quiet as they stood waiting for the others. He tried giving her food and water, but she just quietly nibbled on it. Perhaps she was grieving the end of her life as a Network thief?

After she finished the food, Torianna just stared into space. Lorcan thought he would like a quiet Torianna, but it honestly felt uncomfortable. Deciding to pull her out of her shell, he nudged her gently. She stared up at him and frowned; it was like they’d swapped personalities. He gestured a talking motion with his hands and the girl seemed to understand.

“Me? Talk? I thought you hated my guts?” She teased, and Lorcan frowned this time. Why did he save this girl again? Was it because she was a friend? No, certainly not. Then… was it because he hated Network? Hmm, yes, that had to be it. And saving one of their prisoners was justice. Yes, that was the reason.

“Well, if you really want me to talk, what should we discuss?” Torianna asked. They looked at Skallin, but he was in his own world at the moment, so they decided to leave him be. “How about your reason for helping me again? My guess is you just missed me too much!” She joked. Lorcan laughed aloud. “To think, under that stiff and serious demeanor you’re a big softie!” she continued. Lorcan smiled, then turned to the horizon before shaking his head.

Torianna chuckled at this, edging closer so she could dig her elbow into his side. "And to think that you'd go soft after your lovely big speech the other day!" He cringed at that, and she grinned. "I think that the rats eating me alive was a nice touch! Though it looks like someone changed his mind about leaving me behind."

The words filled Lorcan with shame. He looked down at the ground, angry at himself for cozying up to Torianna and for what he’d done to her. The girl grabbed him by the arm, and he looked at her to see she seemed… sorry?

“Anyway,” she said dismissively, “I’m tired of waiting here. Why don’t you carry me to the castle gates? I’m too tired to walk.” Lorcan smiled, then turned his back to her so she could hop on. Holding tightly around his neck and wrapping her arms around his waist, Torianna was thankfully pretty light. Lorcan carried her to the castle as she laughed with delight.

\---

Torianna didn’t have to wait long for Endel’s group to show up. They slipped down a buttress and landed out of view of the guards with Maia in tow. Torianna could tell the other girl was barely keeping it together. “What happened in there?” Torianna asked.

“I’ll tell you what happened, a Network thief tried to kill Maia!” He spat in frustration. Torianna scowled at him. “You never mentioned that Network is a bunch of assassins!” he continued.

“We’re not! Or at least, I wasn’t!” She shot back, clearly offended. Suddenly Endel realized he was being too hard on Torianna; clearly something unusual was going on here. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have accused you of anything,” he apologized. “So, you’ve never seen Networkers take an assassination job?” Torianna shook her head. “We’re just thieves, not monsters,” she replied.

“Let’s discuss this later. For now, we need to get the rod back to Kakariko. Let’s move, everyone,” Cheval suggested, and they all left Hyrule Castle behind and made for the west gate.

Torianna had saddled back on Lorcan as they left Castle Town, and Endel was looking at them quizzically now. “Any reason Lorcan is giving you a piggyback ride?” he asked, and she shook her head. “Lorcan here is just showing how much he missed me!” she explained. Lorcan turned his head to her and rolled his eyes.

“If that’s what you want to call it then…” Endel teased; this time Torianna was the one to get flustered, but she said nothing. This was a perfectly normal way of her playing around with Lorcan! Still, riding on his back felt awkward now, so she dismounted and walked on foot out of the gates.

It was late afternoon as they left Castle Town, and by the time they reached Eldin Bridge the sun was very low. Torianna didn’t like this one bit; she was far too tired to go back to the great fairy, and the others didn’t look much better off.  
“Oh, something’s been bothering me,” Endel asked, probably to get his mind off his weariness. “You seemed to know the leader of those Network agents at on the forest road. Who was he?”

For a second, Torianna was caught off guard. She didn’t dare tell them that Jaydon was her brother. She tried to scoff at the question by flipping her hair behind her head.

“He’s just a ringleader in Network, that’s all.” She said dismissively. Endel shrugged it off, but Lorcan gave her a confused look as if he knew something was up. Thankfully, the quiet guardsman didn’t share these feelings with Endel and let it be; Torianna was relieved.

“Anyway, I think we should spend the night in Kakariko,” she suggested. Cheval looked at her. “Why not just get the great fairy over with?” he asked. Torianna pointed to Maia. “I think she’s about to collapse, if I’m being honest.” Torianna said. Cheval thought for a moment, then consented.

“I need to debrief Telma on the situation with your Network friends anyway.” He concluded. “Ok, let’s stop in Kakariko.”

The sigh of relief from Maia was probably the loudest she’d ever been.

The crossed the great field of Eldin and reached the crags and peaks of outer Kakariko. They stopped by to see Telma, who listened quietly to Cheval’s debriefing. “Well, it is what it is, Network is stooping to a new low, we’ll just have to fight ‘em harder!” She responded. “For now, let’s get you some grub!”

Taking them over to their barracks, she began cooking them a hearty stew (Maia even joined in, making Torianna feel awkward at being the only girl there that couldn’t cook) and passed it around for everyone to eat. Nobody really felt like talking or playing games that night, so they all said goodnight and went their separate ways.

Sharing a room with Maia, Torianna wasted no time in getting to bed. She started to relax when she noticed Maia was staring at her with horror.

“What’s your problem?” Torianna asked the other girl, but she seemed to worsen rather than answer her. Torianna took a deep breath; she wasn’t used to dealing with people as sensitive as Maia, so she tried to be more diplomatic.

“Is everything ok Maia?” Torianna asked, calmly this time.

“Those people that kidnapped us… that tried to kill me… you’re with them, right?” Maia replied. Torianna didn’t like where this was going. “Look,” she said, starting right into Maia’s eyes, “I don’t know anything about Network’s decision to kill you. We don’t usually do that sort of thing. You have to believe me!”

Maia didn’t seem convinced. “They kidnapped you! They tried to kill me! If you work for them, why don’t you understand their actions? And why would you be a part of them in the first place? Why didn’t you leave them a long time ago?”

She seemed to realize who she was talking to, and fell silent. Torianna gritted her teeth so she wouldn’t tear the girl to shreds.

“Some people don’t have the luxury of choice…” She said coldly, “And maybe I worked with awful people because maybe I’m an awful person.”

Maia said nothing, but seemed to shrink back down under her covers and try to fall asleep. Torianna did the same, and soon fell asleep.

\---

Endel, Lorcan, Cheval and Skallin all went to bed without a word. Personally, Endel felt like sleep was becoming a mixed bag, since he got to relax but kept having these odd dreams. It didn’t take long for him to drift to sleep and find himself in the place of the white-skinned man again.

This time, he was doing even worse than the last dream he’d been in. Without feeling it, he somehow knew he was thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. He was climbing a huge mountain that was spewing lava, though for what reason he couldn’t be sure. Some… force seemed to be drawing him in, and following the call of that force seemed better than traversing the craggy landscape below to find food.

Suddenly his vision started to get hazy, his legs weakened, and he felt incredibly heavy. He could barely make out some large creature bursting out of the mountain summit before tumbling over and passing out.The dream was over.

Endel woke up a few minutes before the others, so he started getting ready for, hopefully, their final trip to the caves. Skallin, Cheval, and Lorcan were soon up and ready, so they headed outside to meet up with the girls. Seeing that everyone was ready, Cheval led them to the cliffs outside Kakariko once again where they descended into the cavern.

They traversed the cave silently this time, everyone focusing on the mission. It didn’t take long for them to reach the illuminated cavern where the great fairy was waiting for them.

“You who hold the Dominion Rod, come forward,” she said, pointing at Cheval, “you have proven yourself worthy.” Cheval walked forward and presented the rod to the great fairy. She took it and, raising it to the mirror, released the magic in a flurry of small firefly-like seeds. The seeds drifted up to the mirror and stuck to it, bleeding into the reflective surface. The seeds disappeared, and the mirror started to crack; Endel thought he saw some sort of dark liquid seeping out of the cracks.

Suddenly the mirror face shattered and, to everyone’s astonishment, thick globs of dark sludge started pouring out of the mirror in lumps. The lumps landed on the ground and changed into human shapes… children. The great fairy was right, there were children trapped in there!

Slowly the children got up, rubbing their eyes as if they’d been sleeping. They looked around, then saw Endel and the others standing there. The great fairy smiled. “It is finished. Thank you for your aid in releasing these innocents. However, the task is not finished; my sisters throughout Hyrule have suffered a similar fate to mine. The Dominion Rod must be used to free the corrupted innocents at these fountains. Bearer of the rod, this is your duty…” the great fairy suddenly disappeared in a flash of white.

Cheval looked like he’d been told to scrub the entire Scoundrels of Virtue base.

“Well… I guess we have to go debrief with Telma…” he said, sounding exhausted. “Cheval, hero of the children… never realized how much I’d hate being a hero…” he muttered, then turned to the children.

“Ok, you lot, we’re taking you to Kakariko so you better, uh, behave and do what we say,” he said, and the children nodded.

\---

Maia helped the others escort the children back through the caves and to Kakariko. Once there, they left the still-woozy children with the village chief and returned to Telma.

“This isn’t what I’d hoped for, I’ll admit…” Telma said after they debriefed her. “I’d thought there’d be two or three children, not half a dozen. Still, at least we know what to do now.” She then turned to Cheval. “You have to search Hyrule for these great fairies and save the rest of the kids.”

Cheval looked like he had an objection, but Telma raised her hand. “I don’t want to hear any objections, you hear? You’re going alone, too. I can’t afford to send anyone else.”

Maia knew where this was headed and her heart almost stopped. “The rest of you are taking these kids back to Castle Town. After that, I want you to find out where these children were taken from and hunt down their kidnapper. It won’t be easy, but I know you all are up to the challenge!”

Just as Maia suspected, they were given a dangerous mission that she wasn’t prepared for. She couldn’t bear to fail like she had in the forest, and she didn’t see how she was supposed to hold her own if this kidnapper they were chasing attacked her. Maybe someone could teach her to fight?

After the debriefing, Maia approached Endel about fighting, to which he agreed to teach her before they left for Castle Town. Excited, she changed into more combat-ready clothes and met Endel in front of the fountain.

“Alright, first thing’s first, we need to get you a weapon,” he explained. “Scoundrels of Virtue agents use swords, daggers, or bows. I use swords, but I know the basics of all three, so choose whichever you want.” He then laid out a broadsword, a curved dagger, and a shortbow. Maia looked at all three before shaking her head.

“I want to use a sword, but… this one’s too big. Do you have anything with a slim blade?” she asked. Endel thought for a moment, then seemed to have an idea. Walking over to a nearby building, he fished around until he found a thin, sturdy metal rod. He then punched the rod through a small, rectangular piece of wood to be the crossguard and handed the makeshift weapon to Maia.

“Use this for now. We’ll get you a true side sword or rapier when we go back to base.” he told her. He then began to teach her a few swordplay basics, as well as how to dodge and counter hit. She took it up quicker than she’d thought possible, though she had to remind herself that these were basic lessons.

After their lessons were complete, Maia and Endel went back to the others, who were preparing to go their separate ways. They both saw Cheval off, who said he was going to follow some rumors up north.

“We’ll see you again when this is all over.” Endel told him, to which their old boss sighed. “If we live to tell about it,” he ruminated. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

With that, the man responsible for planning Maia’s capture disappeared in the dusty wind. She didn’t exactly miss the man, but he seemed like he wanted to do the right thing in life, although by dishonest methods.

“Time’s a-wastin’. Let’s hit the road.” Endel said; apparently he thought of himself as the leader now. Maia supposed it was better than it going to Torianna; she was still afraid of her after last night. For now, she decided to focus on shepherding the children they were safeguarding. With everyone ready, they started down the long road to Castle Town.

\---

Torianna didn’t have to bother Lorcan once the entire trip to Castle Town; the children did an excellent job on their own. Their incessant questions for the quiet guard seemed to test the utmost limits of his patience.

“Why don’t you talk mister?” one child asked, tugging on his overcoat. “What’s your name?” another asked, pulling on his arm. Torianna thought he looked like he wanted to pull his hair out, so naturally she interceded to make things worse.

“His name is Lorcan, and an evil sorcerer stole his voice!” She explained; the children looked at her spellbound. “As a young boy, which wasn’t long ago since he’s fourteen, his voice was ripped right out of him!”

Lorcan seemed incredibly angry now, which gave her loads of satisfaction. She kept it up all the way to Castle Town, where they dropped the kids off at an orphanage. 

“Well, that was fun!” she said, closing the door after the children. “Did poor little Lorcan like my stories? Will he have nightmares now or-”

Lorcan swerved around an interceding Endel and slammed Torianna against the nearby wall. She was so surprised she didn’t have a chance to stop Lorcan from pinning her to the wall

“Do you think this is a game!?” He hissed, leaning in close. “Do you have some sort of problem!?”

Torianna glared right back at him. “My problem? What’s your problem?” she asked.

“My problem,” he replied “is that you think my life is some sort of joke! This isn’t a game, girl, it’s my reality! Maybe my condition is amusing to you, but it’s NOT to me!”

Torianna knew what he was saying and why he was saying it, but she was angry all the same. Lorcan was being obtusely taciturn, and she was about to tell him none-too-kindly.

“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me.” she growled, trying to sound as fierce as possible. Lorcan only pushed against her harder.

“You don’t take anything seriously, do you?” he replied with utter contempt; Torianna’s blood was boiling now. “You steal whatever you want, you talk however you please, and you treat people like objects…” he continued. “Well guess what? People aren’t objects! One day everyone is going to be sick and tired of you, and when you’re rejected by everyone and not a Scoundrel or a Networker anymore, you’ll have nowhere to go!”

Torianna violently pushed Lorcan away; he stumbled, but regained his footing. Endel was still watching with arms crossed and brow furrowed, Maia looked horrified and speechless at the turn of events, and Skallin looked disengaged and indifferent to the squabble.

Torianna got up in Lorcan’s face and tried to look tall even though he towered over her. “You think you’re telling me anything I don’t know? Think again. And while you’re at it, take a look in the mirror and look at your own problems. You’re duplicitous about your anger, and you suck at venting your feelings! Maybe try learning a better way to cope with your emotions before you take it out on me!”

She turned away from Lorcan, but was quickly whisked back around by him. “Alright, that’s enough…” Endel said, but Torianna barely heard him as Lorcan leaned in just inches from her face.

“Lie about me again, and I’ll break every one of your stubby fingers,” he threatened.

“I said that’s enough, Lorcan!” Endel shouted, pushing the two apart. “You’re both being stupid and unprofessional! Apologize, the both of you, or I’ll have you locked up for the day!”

Lorcan looked at her with a forced expression of apology, and extended his hand. Torianna reluctantly took it and shook.

“Ok, now that that’s sorted out… let’s split up and look for clues about whoever is stealing these kids.” Endel said. “Lorcan, go back to base and check with Ashei. Torianna, eavesdrop for clues in town square. Skallin and Maia, check the residential district. I’ll see if I can get anything out of a guard. Move out!”

Torianna heard plenty of rumours as she loitered in the town square, but nothing pertaining to their mission. Honestly, she was thinking more about Lorcan and Endel than anything. Endel’s seizing leadership in the group wasn’t much of a worry, she was just relieved that a competent and respectable person was taking charge around here.

Lorcan had her much more worried. He was understandably rubbed the wrong way by her teasing, sure, but he didn’t have to blow up like that. He was such a loose cannon… but she still thought of him as a friend.

Figuring she wouldn’t make any more progress, Torianna walked back to the orphanage. Endel and the others were already there. “Any luck?” he asked, but she shook her head.

“Ugh, looks like we all came back empty-handed.” Endel grumbled. “Perhaps the children were stolen from other settlements?” Skallin suggested, but Endel shook his head. “The lady that runs the orphanage said they were all…”

Endel stopped and looked over his shoulder. Torianna caught it too; the lady that ran the orphanage had been spying on them until Endel spotted her. Before she stuck her head back in the window her expression was one of utter contempt.

“Of course…” Endel said. “The kidnapped children didn’t come from families, they’re from the orphanage. We gave them right back to the woman that used them in the first place!”

Torianna looked at Endel with shock; how could they have been so stupid? “We need to get in there, now.” she said hastily. “Those children don’t have much time before they’re taken right back to the caves.”

“We need a plan,” Endel countered. “I wonder…”

Whatever it was that Endel was thinking, Lorcan seemed to catch on. Pointing at the people walking by, then his own clothes, Torianna was at a loss for what he was suggesting. “You’ve finally gone mad…” she said incredulously, and the guard let out a sigh.

“I believe Lorcan is suggesting we wear street clothes and impersonate prospective parents…” Skallin suggested. Endel seemed to like the idea. “Excellent plan, Lorcan!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah, but what are we going to do about Skallin?” Torianna shot back. Endel thought for a moment. “Well… we need a guard outside in case she makes a run for it.” he decided. Skallin seemed to like the idea and went along.

“Ok,” Endel brought them all in, “we need to get decent clothes, probably from a wealthy merchant family. Torianna, you and Lorcan will be one couple. Maia and I will make another. We’ll search town for some clothes in those same groups. Let’s save those children!”

Married to Lorcan? Torianna thought if anyone needed saving, it was her. She kept that to herself as the group split up.


	8. Chapter 8

Before splitting up, Maia was called over by Lorcan who seemed to have something for her. Taking a sword off his back, he handed it to her with a smile. Unsheathing the weapon, Maia saw it had a thin, long blade for thrusting, the kind Endel had taught her to use.

“Thank you Lorcan!” Maia said, giving the quiet man a hug. She liked Lorcan a lot, even if he could be scary. “I’ll put this to good use!” she added, then sheathed the blade. Waving goodbye, she caught up with Endel and left Lorcan with Torianna.

Maia had to admit, it was a surprise that none of the guards recognized her. She saw plenty of posters with her face on it, why wasn’t anyone looking for her? And what of Princess Zelda? Did she miss her at all? Maybe people had gotten tired of looking for her already?

She got an answer to her worries rather alarmingly when a newer poster caught her eye. This one wasn’t a missing person’s poster, it was a wanted poster for her friends. Stranger still, it said they were wanted for her murder!

“Endel! Look at this!” she said, pointing at the poster. The color seemed to drain from his face as he read it.

“We need to finish this mission and leave. Quickly!” He said, taking off before someone saw the poster and recognized him. Maia rushed to keep up, also wary of someone recognizing her. They darted through the city streets to the merchant district, then slipped into an alleyway.

“Crash course on thieving; trust your instincts and be quick!” Endel taught her. “Watch me this time!” he said, then walked across the street and nonchalantly slipped behind a merchant’s tent. Maia thought the way he scanned the crowd for onlookers looked almost effortless, but she knew it came from years of experience. She could tell that Endel had been doing this for a long time.

Emerging from behind the tent, Endel made his way back to Maia and handed her a large but simple woman’s dress. “This is big enough to go over your clothes. We need to keep our armor on in case there’s a fight.” he explained, quickly throwing his stolen clothes over his leather armor. Maia did the same with her stolen dress, then the two left the alleyway and returned to the orphanage where the others were waiting.

But when they got to the orphanage, only Skallin was there.

“Skallin, have Torianna and Lorcan returned yet?” Endel asked the darknut, but he shook his head. “If my memory serves me, they went in that direction,” he replied, pointing to the residential district. Endel cursed.

“Maia, come with me, we need to find our friends,” he finally said. Maia nodded in reply and followed him into the residential district. Trying to stay out of sight and look for Torianna at the same time was hard, but Endel seemed good enough at it. Maia wished she had Endel’s dexterity.

It didn’t take too long for them to find Torianna and Lorcan; they were breaking into a house and had just picked the lock when Endel came upon them. “Worried I’d get caught doing what I do best?” Torianna asked sarcastically.

“Actually, given the circumstances, I am,” Endel replied, then told her about the wanted poster. Torianna seemed livid.

“I’m not even surprised by their scumminess anymore, but to frame us…!” She was clearly trying to suppress her rage. “... let’s finish this mission and get out of here, I don’t want to rot in jail!” Torianna kicked the door open and stormed into the building; it was a good thing nobody was around, Maia thought. Endel followed Torianna up some stairs while Maia and Lorcan kept watch. It didn’t take long for Endel and Torianna to return with clothes.

“Ok, let’s return to Skallin and-... what’s that?” Endel asked Torianna, pointing to a toy rabbit. “Oh, it’s a rabbit, for a kid you know?” she replied, holding up the stuffed animal.

Endel looked at her with disbelief, then disgust. “You can’t steal from a kid! Put that back!” he scolded her. She looked back at him angrily. “Why can’t I take it?” she asked.

“It probably means a lot to a kid! Just put it back and let’s get out of here.” Endel hastily replied. Torianna rolled her eyes and threw the disproportionate toy back into a child’s room. Maia gave the rabbit a quick glance and thought about Endel’s ethics before following the others out of the house.

\---

Leaving the house behind, Endel kept watch as Lorcan and Torianna slipped into an alleyway to throw their stolen clothes over their armor. Lorcan looked odd with his plate mail under his clothes, so he removed that and left it with Skallin when they returned to the orphanage. Applying some makeup to hide their features, everyone congregated at the front door to the building.

“Wait here and holler if you see anyone coming,” Endel directed Skallin; the darknut nodded in understanding and took a position next to the front door. Endel knocked, and a frail but severe looking woman answered. She was clearly trying her best to look accommodating.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Yes,” Endel replied, “my wife and I, along with my sister and her husband, are looking to adopt.” The woman gave them a quick look-over; if she recognized them, she was doing a good job of hiding it. “Very well, come in,” she resignedly said, then led them into the main room of the building. The children were playing here; none of them recognized Endel or the others.

“Surely young people such as yourselves are looking to have children of your own?” she asked, to which Endel shook his head. “My sister and I… lost our children during the Twilight Crisis.” he explained; Lorcan shed a few tears for sentimental effect, but the woman didn’t flinch. “We want to rescue the children we can before having more of our own,” Torianna explained; still the woman looked unamused.

"Yes, well, there are certain protocols one must undergo before adoption." She began with an out-of-place smile. "I assume you've been acquainted with the fees you have to pay by law; 20,000 rupees per parent?" Endel turned to the others, dumbstruck, but Maia silently shook her head in a way that said 'she’s wrong' rather than ‘I don't know'.

It was the last nail in the coffin for their hopes of avoiding strife, and now both parties knew it; Endel could feel the mutual hostility raising the hairs on his back. "How unfortunate," the caretaker continued with less hospitality, "I suppose that concludes any business we might have-"

"Just a moment!" Endel broke in. "Perhaps you also know that collateral is a viable alternative to rupees in these times?" He had no idea if this was actually the case, but he spoke with authority, and the caretaker didn't call his bluff.

"Hmph." There was no facade in the woman's voice now, and she was viewing all four of them with anger. "Very well, I’ll go prepare the documents you need to complete to secure your adoptions." She left them alone and went into another room, slamming the door behind her.

Now everyone was bracing for a fight; Endel and the others had left their swords with Skallin, but Torianna was concealing her daggers in her skirt. She quietly reached for them when an odd popping noise started coming from the adjacent room. Was it just Endel’s imagination, or was something growling in the room the woman had just entered?

Suddenly the door was knocked off its hinges by a large, green tail; a blade on its end missed Lorcan by inches. The children behind them screamed and broke into a panic, so Endel and Maia scrambled to collect them as Torianna and Lorcan engaged the beast. It was more monster than human, but some of the severe features of the woman were still present in its face. Aside from its bladed tail, it had sharp claws that could probably cut like knives if given the chance. Endel thought it looked like a lizalfos.

“You were fools to come here…” the creature hissed. “Now I will kill you, and present your bodies to master Kazdan!” Leaping at the unarmed Lorcan, the silent guardsman rolled under the lizalfos-woman and grabbed its tail, then swung it into a bookcase. The beast got up, then flung its tail at him. The blade shot past him, but the length of the tail knocked him in the side and sent him flying into a wall. He was out cold.

Skallin entered the building just as Endel and Maia had gathered the children. “Skallin! Keep the kids outside!” Endel told him, shepherding the children to him. Skallin directed the children outside, but not before handing Endel and Maia their weapons. They both joined the fight, Maia looking horrified but trying to remain brave.

The lizalfos-woman was distracted by the new combatants, and Torianna took the chance to lunge at her. Swiping at her chest, she cut a deep gash before jumping away from its claws. The lizalfos-woman tried to hold the injury shut, but its claws only made the wound larger. After bleeding profusely it collapsed on the ground, dead.

Endel walked over and helped Lorcan to his feet; the guard looked from the dead monster to Torianna’s bloody dagger and a look of respect seemed to creep into his face. “Let’s get out of here before the guards investigate…” Endel said, and everyone followed him out of the orphanage.

Outside, everyone was treated to a sight that brought a smile to their faces. The children Skallin had been watching had grown bored and were crawling all over him, asking all sorts of questions. “Why are you so big, mister?” one asked as he kicked the darknut’s shin. “What’s your face look like mister?” another asked as she tried to pry off one of his armor plates. The darknut seemed detached and indifferent to the children, but Endel suspected he was feeling overwhelmed.

“The children are safe,” Skallin assured him, “I am glad you were successful.”

Unfortunately the moment didn’t last; Endel spotted guards coming from the south road, and when he looked to the north he saw even more. They were soon surrounded.

“We had complaints of a disturbance.” Their leader told him. “What are Scoundrels like you roughing up an orphanage for?” None of the guards recognized Endel and the others from the wanted poster, thank goodness.

“It might have something to do with the dead lizalfos in there!” Endel snapped back. “Why don’t you try doing your job and clean up this mess?” The guard stiffened up at the mention of a monster, then directed another man to enter the building and check it out. It didn’t take long for him to find the body and come out scared senseless.

“M-M-M-MONSTER!!!” He bellowed, running away. The other guards changed their tune when they saw they were dealing with a legitimate crisis.

“T-take these five to the castle… straight to the princess… she can sort it out… g-go!” the leader snapped, and all of them were carted off to the castle by the guards. Endel gave the orphanage one last look to see it being tended to by the guards (at least they were good for something) before trudging off to see the princess.

\---

Torianna didn’t know a lot about Princess Zelda. She was aware that after the Twilight Crisis, the rising nobles had indefinitely stalled her coronation under the argument that the people didn’t want a queen. Of course that was a bunch of baloney, but since commoners like her had no say in the affairs of lords, there was nothing her nor the people of Castle Town could do. This was the reason the Scoundrels of Virtue and Network popped up in the first place.

Personally, Torianna didn’t have anything against Zelda, but she couldn’t help but think the princess had gotten them into this sorry state of affairs in the first place. But that didn’t really matter, because now they were counting on her to believe their crazy story. Endel and Lorcan seemed to know how bad their odds were; they both looked pretty nervous. Maia looked over the moon; Torianna imagined she expected a warm welcome from Zelda. She found that unlikely, but you never know.

The guards held each of them firmly by the arm as they approached the enormous castle door. Torianna felt like they were being treated more like witnesses than prisoners, which gave credibility to Maia’s optimism. As they reached the door, the captain explained that they were here to see the princess, and the door was swung open.

Inside was a clean but rather plain hallway leading to other parts of the castle. As the original Hyrule Castle was destroyed in the Twilight Crisis, the new one had been put up in haste and on a smaller budget. It still loomed tall over Castle Town, just not as tall as its predecessor.

The guards led them up and through the castle to an audience room where a finely dressed young woman sat on an ornate throne. Torianna figured this was Princess Zelda; she had to admit the lady looked the part. “My princess,” the captain said as he bowed, “these five were found at the scene of a ransacked orphanage. Inside was a monster they claim had taken on the form of a woman to some nefarious end.”

Princess Zelda looked them over, but suddenly stopped. Appearing as if she saw a ghost, she stumbled for a moment in a rare lack of composure.

“Maia!? How? How could it be you?” Zelda stammered, “Why are you with these people!?” The former attendant seemed at a loss for words; didn’t she seem happy to be here just a moment ago?

“I’m… sorry, your grace.” Maia finally replied, head down. “Please allow me to explain the situation to you.” She then went into a full account of everything; her capture, the events in the caves, her attempted assassination, and the woman in the orphanage. Zelda seemed to take in all in with a childlike curiosity, yet remained stoic.  
“Fearing another assassination attempt, I fled to the protection of these fine people. But I remain at your command as always.” Maia concluded with another bow. Princess Zelda was quiet.

“... Your actions are understandable, Maia, but not permissible. I had thought you dead, and perpetuating that belief gives me concern, but now is not the time for my disappointment.” Torianna thought Maia looked pale now as Zelda continued. “Darkness threatens our kingdom once again, not from without, but from within. Hyrule has need of a hero, but none has appeared in this hour of need.”

Torianna thought a smile appeared on Zelda’s face. “But we have you. Yes, the five of you must save Hyrule. It is your gods-given destiny.”

Being a hero didn’t really appeal to Torianna, but when she looked at the others to gauge their reactions she saw that Endel was unusually upset. What had gotten into him?

“You mentioned a Kazdan the woman claimed to serve.” Zelda continued. “He is a noble on my court. I cannot accuse him of anything with your testimony alone, but if you were to infiltrate his manor and find evidence of treason…” She didn’t seem pleased at the idea, but continued nonetheless. “... yes, there is no other way. Go to Kazdan’s manor at Lake Hylia and look for something that can prove his guilt. May the Gods be at your back!” With that, Princess Zelda dismissed them.

Torianna caught up with Maia as they were leaving the audience room. “That Zelda sure is something, huh?” she asked the quiet maid playfully. The other girl only nodded in reply. “Look,” Torianna continued, “I know what it’s like to leave your old self behind, and it’s not always easy. But you’re doing the right thing, okay?” Maia looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

“...You’re right. Thanks, Torianna.” she replied.

Moving onto Endel, Torianna gave him a playful punch on the arm and he gave her a sour look in return. “You’re about as mad as Lorcan on a temper tantrum,” she joked, and the other thief seemed to lighten up. “That bad, huh?” he joked back and forced a smile. “I just can’t stand it, being called heroes. We’re thieves doing what we want because we want to, not some band of noble asses at Hylia’s beck and call.”

Torianna raised an eyebrow at Endel. “Well, you’re not wrong…” she muttered, but decided she had nothing else to say to that. He’d have to sort that one out on his own.

She hated trying to be the cheerleader.

\---

Lorcan and the others reached the stables, where they were surprised to find a carriage and horses provided by the princess to expedite their quest. He was glad they wouldn’t be doing any more walking, since that only seemed to rile Torianna up, but he wasn’t so sure about their destination. This… Kazdan seemed like trouble, the kind of sorcerer that enjoyed slow and painful executions. Lorcan didn’t want any part of that, but he cared too much about his friends to abandon the mission.

Getting a leg up to hop into the driver’s seat, Lorcan was butted out of the way by Torianna. “You’re not the only one that can drive a carriage!” she protested, so he let her take the reins. Endel joined her in front, so he sat with Maia and Skallin in the back.

They had barely left the gates when Skallin began to shudder. Lorcan gave him a look of concern. “Something the matter, Skallin?” Maia asked politely, to which he nodded.

“I can feel the call of destiny again,” he explained. “We are being drawn down a path we were made to trod.” Lorcan had to wonder how Endel liked someone as fatalistic as Skallin, but he couldn’t talk if he was going to cut Torianna so much slack.

The journey was quiet after that, with Lorcan trying to appreciate the calm but still shaken by what Skallin had said. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for them to reach the cliffs over Lake Hylia where Kazdan’s manor was located. Lorcan had to admit it was pretty; sandstone walls, gilded window frames, and an ornate gateway big enough to let carriages in. Endel opted to leave their own transportation hidden down the road so that Kazdan or his guards wouldn’t spot them coming.

“It’s gonna be hard to get in…” Torianna grumbled as they analyzed the place. “Perhaps there is a back entrance for staff?” Skallin suggested, but Endel shook his head. “Too obvious, we need a ground floor window or something, preferably in an unoccupied room.” Lorcan knew that was pretty unlikely, so they’d probably have to risk a window in an unimportant looking room and hope nobody disturbed them.

“Let’s check the back of the house,” Endel suggested, “be on your guard everyone, things might get ugly.”


	9. Chapter 9

Lorcan had his doubts about finding a good way into the mansion, but they found a back window for a storage room on the first floor easily enough. It was even a sliding window, so breaking the locking mechanism and opening the pane was no problem for Torianna. All of them were able to slide into the storage room easily enough, where Endel gathered them up to give out orders.

“Let’s split up. This place is too dangerous to risk the entire group getting caught all at once, and I want to make this go as fast as possible. Move out.” he said. Lorcan and the others nodded, then left the storage room behind.

While the others took a left out of the room, Endel and Lorcan went right then split up at the end of the corridor. Lorcan continued alone down the hallway, occasionally putting his his hand on the pommel of his sword for peace of mind.

Sneaking down a corridor, Lorcan suddenly heard footsteps around a corner. He darted into another room then tried to listen for conversation.

“Dunno why we’re guarding the house of a guy that can roast people with a snap of his fingers,” a man said. “Boss might need protection, but a wizard doesn’t.”

“It’s a simple display of cooperation,” another man said; it was the leader of the group that had kidnapped Maia and Torianna! “The boss and Kazdan go way back, and now they’re ready to execute a plan that’s been years in the making. For that plan to work, they need agents making sure nothing gets sabotaged and to tie up loose ends. That’s where we come in.”

Lorcan couldn’t believe it; Network was cooperating with Kazdan! They must have captured Maia and Torianna, then tried to silence them to stop them from blabbing about their plans for the great fairy fountains. And that was only part of some larger scheme… what were they planning?

A firm hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. Lorcan flung around and was brought face-to-face with Torianna’s father, one of the Network managers.

“I know you,” he snarled, “you’re the kid that stole my daughter away from me. Where is she!?” he shook him violently, but Lorcan couldn’t give the brute any answers even if he wanted. He tried to indicate this with his hands, but the gestures were ignored.

“Not willing to talk, eh? Well, we have plenty of ways to loosen your tongue…” The man chuckled, then picked Lorcan up and threw him over his shoulder. “Let’s see what Kazdan can do to convince you to talk.”

\---

The halls of Kazdan's mansion weren't all that impressive for a member of the courts; just a few nice plates and candlesticks on display. It was all so average, Endel began to worry there wouldn't be anything here to incriminate the man. The thief slipped into another empty room, the kitchen this time. There was another problem; he hadn't encountered a single living thing yet, but perhaps they were all on a different floor?

His mind suddenly turned to the earlier events of the day. Princess Zelda had given them a nice carriage, fine horses, and continued to trust them with Maia... all because of the Gods' supposed will. And yet, she didn't seem submissive about it, but happy to give them so much, greatest of all being the faith she placed in a bunch of street thieves and their accomplices. What did fate mean to a woman that did something like that? Certainly she seemed to revel in fate, like it was a gift or something. At least Torianna seemed to agree with him that the princess was being ridiculous.

Suddenly a sense of dread shot through his body. He could feel he was being watched now.

Well... perhaps not watched. He could tell something was calling to him, rather. Something aware of his presence. Against his better judgment, he walked straight into the middle of a living room adjoining the kitchen, where there was a stairway leading downward, enticing him with promises of secrets and yet looking no different from any other staircase. It didn't matter, he knew he had to get to the bottom of that staircase right now.

Moving at a slow run now, Endel practically jumped down the stairs and reached a landing. The walls were lit at first with gentle torchlight, then odd glowing stones encrusted into the rock as he descended deeper, but that didn't interest him too much at the moment. He could feel it stronger now, something calling in his mind to get to the bottom of this staircase that didn't seem to belong in such a plain lakeside mansion. Just a little further now, and the prize would be his... wait, what prize?

Never mind what the prize was, he knew it was there, he thought to himself as he reached the bottom and burst through a door into a dark basement. He took a seat, and waited... waited for his wonderful prize that he somehow knew was due to him. And he wasn't about to go anywhere until he got it.

Endel didn’t know how much time had passed when he heard footsteps. His prize was finally arriving! The door was opened, and someone lit a torch. It was Skallin… was he going to give him his prize?

Instead, the darknut picked Endel up and shook him, then set him back down. As if awoken from a trance, he came back to his senses and looked around in amazement.

“Be on your guard, Endel, magic secures this place,” Skallin said, “and that almost certainly means we are on the right track.”

Walking over to a dark corner of the room, Skallin moved a large stone aside to reveal a secret passageway. “When I entered the proximity of this place, I remembered everything about my former master… Kazdan,” he explained. “The missions to gather test subjects, the secret laboratory I brought them to, the… experiments I helped conduct…” Endel was a bit confused, but he went along with Skallin for now. Nothing was ever straightforward with the darknut.

“Be cautioned, the contents of the next room are... gruesome.” he warned.

Skallin crossed the threshold to the next room. The light from the torch was absorbed and amplified by strange rocks on the walls. Endel walked into the eerily-lit room and almost retched at the stench. Then he looked up.

The room was filled with corpses. Burnt ones, mutilated ones, hacked off pieces… the place was a monument to defilement. And not all the corpses were hylian; there were zoras and gorons, but also monsters. Odd instruments for peeling off skin and cutting through bone lined the walls, while jars of blood and bile filled shelves.

But the worst sight was the cages. An entire wall was lined with them, containing horrible amalgamations of humans and beasts. But they weren’t like the woman in the orphanage; these were bizarre, misshapen abominations showing clear signs of pain and distress. Endel glimpsed a goron with tektite legs growing out the side of his torso, a hylian with one gohma eye and a venom sac coming out of his mouth, and a gelatinous chu mass with chunks of bone and gore floating in it before he had to look away.

“Just a moment, I need to grab this journal and we can be on our way,” Skallin said nonchalantly; Endel couldn’t believe the darknut was keeping his composure. Grabbing a book off a desk and moving quickly, the two of them took the evidence to the previous room. At least they had gotten what they needed; the book was full of notes and references that would condemn Kazdan.

“Entering the vicinity of the basement staircase seems to trigger a spell that bewitches most sentients,” Skallin conjectured. “But thankfully it affected me differently, unlocking my previous memories. It seems I was responsible for collecting test subjects, bringing them here to be… altered, and escorting the results of the experiments to strategic places in Hyrule. I suspect that Kazdan’s latest achievement, the bewitched mirror formed by those children, was my last mission before I was accosted on the road home, captured, and stripped for parts.”

Skallin seemed to lose countenance; Endel thought he looked ashamed of something. “I suspected my past was ignoble, but it seems I was little more than a butcher’s boy…” Endel shook his head. “You had no choice, you were under Kazdan’s spell. What matters is you’re a Scoundrel now.” The darknut seemed to regain his composure upon hearing this.

“Now come on,” Endel said, “you’ve done a good job so far, but we need to find the others.”

\---  
Torianna passed bland corridor after bland corridor as she tried to stay out of sight. True, she hadn’t really encountered anyone yet, but it never hurt to be cautious in a strange place like this. She couldn’t help but think this place wasn’t really testing her abilities.

Still, there was something… exhilarating about working for the Scoundrels of Virtue. The feeling that your actions meant more than just fulfilling your personal agenda gave more purpose to her life. And of course, working to keep her father’s anger at bay had never been fun.

Suddenly, she thought she heard voices. Ducking into another room, she discovered that the noise was coming from beneath her. In fact, she soon realized she was in a three-walled room with a bannister overlooking a larger office. In the office was a man with his back turned to her, flicking through papers furiously and muttering to himself. He wore a midnight blue coat that went down to his knees and had a turned-up collar that mostly covered his deep crimson hair. Torianna suspected this was Kazdan.

She heard footsteps and ducked behind the bannister just in time for her father to come storming into the room below. Behind him was Jaydon, and in his grip was Lorcan!

Cursing in her head, Torianna started watching the meeting intently. Kazdan put down his paperwork and slowly turned to face her father.

“What is the meaning of this?” Kazdan said with an even tone; his bright brown eyes had a ferocity to them that intimidated Torianna.

“Your manor has a snoop, Kazdan,” her father replied. “I know this one; he’s a Scoundrel, and he doesn’t talk. We found this one near the kitchen, but I’d wager there’s more of them.”

Kazdan smiled. “Huh…” he muttered, taking a step toward Lorcan “Jaydon, I want you to hunt down his… friends,” she could feel the sarcasm in his tone, as if he were mocking Lorcan. “Meanwhile, your father and I will see if we can’t make this one... cooperate.”

Jaydon nodded and left the room, while her father gripped Lorcan’s arms to hold him in place; the guard hissed in reply. “Oh, so you can make some noise for us?” Kazdan said; his tone was always so condescending. “Perhaps we can get you to talk after all!”

“You stole my daughter away; twice, even!” her father snarled. “If she’s not here in good time I’ll have your head on a platter!” Torianna couldn’t stand to hear her father feign concern for her; she gritted her teeth as Kazdan extended his hand.

Suddenly, Lorcan began to breathe heavily and squirm as if in pain. “Unpleasant, isn’t it?” Kazdan asked. “I transfused legendary and rare wizzrobe blood into my veins, so I have a plethora of torture spells at my disposal.” His hand glowed a bright green, and Lorcan screamed in pain. “You won’t have any physical scars; I’m only stimulating your nerves, so don’t worry.”

Torianna was shaken to her core by Lorcan’s cries. She had heard her father torture men that had crossed him before, but Lorcan probably didn’t even realize that he’d done something to deserve such treatment.

She told herself that this was Lorcan's own doing: he should have been more careful sneaking around the manor house, he should have escaped while he had the chance, he should have just spoken because she knew that he could. But there was another part of her, a part at the back of her mind that she didn't want to listen to. It told her that if she hadn't confessed to her dad that Lorcan was a part of the Scoundrels, if she hadn't been in such a hurry to rush off with him... if she'd told him who she really was, he wouldn't be in this situation.

The guilt tugged at her like a small child; she pressed her hands to her head to ignore it. What did she owe Lorcan anyway? He’d never done anything for her.

Except he had. He’d saved her twice now. It was time she returned the favor.

Pressing her lips into a thin line, she got to her feet. Putting a hand on the bannister, she vaulted over it and landed atop Kazdan’s desk with a loud bang. Kazdan turned away from Lorcan and scowled, taking his attention off her friend and apparently breaking the spell. Her father let Lorcan slump to the ground.

“Torianna!” her father exclaimed, “Kazdan, please excuse my daughter.” Lorcan’s eyes shot between her and her father, realizing the truth. “Better savor the moment, Lorcan,” Torianna said uneasily, trying not to think about how he must be judging her right now. “You finally have actual evidence that I’m human!”

Lorcan smiled a bit, but stayed on the ground. “What are you doing with the damn Scoundrels!?” her father finally exclaimed. “Running away twice wasn’t bad enough!?” She looked at him and smirked. “I’d gladly do it again!” she said with pride, “my new friends are much better company than you!”

“Worthless waste of a thief!” her father spat. “I had such plans for you, but now it’s clear Jaydon is twice the heir you’ll ever be!”

Torianna cocked her head to the side. What plans did her father have for her? Were they the reason he’d gone to such lengths to keep her alive? Whatever, all that mattered right now was saving Lorcan.

Speaking of which, the usually quiet guard was getting to his feet, and he looked furious. “How DARE you speak to your own daughter that way!” he bellowed. “She’s a better thief than you, and even if she wasn’t, she deserves better than being your tool! Open your eyes and-”

Lorcan was suddenly knocked across the room by a spell from Kazdan and pinned to a wall. “I don’t have time for these family matters.” He growled. “Torianna, right? I’ll make this simple; join your father and I or I’ll tear this boy to shreds.”

Torianna’s decision was stalled when Jaydon re-entered the room. “No sign of any other Scoundrels. They probably got bewitched near the basement staircase and are sitting down there.” he reported. Torianna didn’t know what her brother was talking about, but the message seemed to please Kazdan. “Good, I’ll collect them later.” he replied. What in the world was going on?

Kazdan turned back to her. “I don’t enjoy repeating myself, so I advise you don’t test me…” he warned. “What is your decision?”

Torianna knew the obvious answer: save yourself, run away from dad, and leave your friends behind. That was what she knew and had always known. Life in Network had taught her to worry only about herself, and let others worry about themselves. Yet, that answer seemed inadequate as she watched Lorcan struggle. Lousy Scoundrels of Virtue, rubbing off on her!

She let out a grunt of frustration; there was only one option. She nodded her head and stood by her father. Kazdan smiled and released Lorcan.

A loud crash, followed by the sound of splintering wood, wiped the smile off Kazdan’s face. Torianna’s father scowled. “That sounded like the front door! We need to investigate!” he barked; Kazdan nodded in agreement. “I’ll keep watch over these two,” Jaydon suggested, but his father shook his head. “We need to leave before more Scoundrels arrive anyway,” he said “so we all go.”

Heading for the front entrance, Torianna thought about backstabbing Kazdan, but decided against it; Jaydon and her father could easily subdue her and Lorcan. Besides, they probably had allies trying to bust them out by now, maybe even Endel and the others if they’d managed to survive.

When they arrived in the main hall, they found a giant chandelier smashed on the ground and the front door torn to pieces. “Scoundrels!” Torianna’s father roared, “They must be in the manor!” Jaydon agreed, but Torianna smirked; this was exactly what someone wanted them to think. “We need to draw them outside,” Kazdan added, “go into the courtyard, I’ll take care of the rest.”

Everyone went out into the courtyard where Kazdan began casting a spell. His magic reverberated like a tolling bell, causing Torianna’s ears to ring. “Thieves and cutthroats!” he spoke, and his words seemed to carry through the manor. “You have invaded the home of the warlock Kazdan! Surrender, and I will spare you; resist, and I will visit horrors upon you.”

“I’ll take my chances with you, Kazdan!” a voice called out; it was Endel! The thief stepped out from behind a hedge, brandishing his sword. “So, you’re the warlock I’ve heard so much about!” he said. “Quite a basement you have, by the way! I hope you don’t mind if we took a souvenir!”

With that, Endel flashed a book that seemed to make Kazdan furious. “Wretched thief!” he yelled, “I’ll take that book off your corpse!”

“You’ll have to get through us first!” Endel replied. With that, Maia and Skallin jumped out from hiding and rushed Kazdan, who quickly teleported next to Torianna’s father.

“You’ve grown soft, Torianna…” her father chided. “Choosing your friends over yourself. I have no more use for you; Jaydon, exterminate these vermin!” Kazdan grabbed her father’s arm and they both disappeared in a flash of light.

Jaydon was now alone, but he looked far from concerned. With a shrieking whistle he called for aid, but Torianna had no idea who her brother was summoning.

She got her answer when a familiar cry pierced the air; the sound of a kargaroc. One of the giant birds suddenly soared over them before landing next to Jaydon and letting him climb up to a saddle. The bird took off with her brother on its back.

“Poor sister!” Jaydon shouted, “I hope you realize the error of your ways when my bird crushes your friends in its talons!”

Endel looked at her confused for a moment before formulating a plan of attack. “Skallin! Get the bird’s attention!” he shouted. The darknut complied, yelling and throwing rocks at the giant bird, which screeched and went into a dive. “Grab it’s talons! And don’t let go!” Endel said. Skallin seemed to understand something, then grabbed the kargaroc’s talons and tried to keep it from flying off. Endel grabbed him by the waist and tried to help.

“A little help here!” he called out, and Torianna understood; the kargaroc couldn’t fly if it was overburdened. Lorcan grabbed onto Endel, and she grabbed onto Lorcan in turn. Maia tried to egg the beast on so it would try to fly again, and the plan started working. Soon enough, after making a desperate attempt to return to the sky, the bird collapsed from exhaustion. Jaydon tumbled off and landed on the ground.

“We’re not done yet!” he exclaimed, then darted back up the kargaroc and spurred it back into motion. It squawked in protest but eventually took back to the sky, significantly slowed from fatigue. This time, it used its beak and claws to slice them rather than grab its prey. Endel got a nasty gash from the beast, and Maia barely avoided being swallowed.

Torianna knew they needed a new plan of attack, and she thought she might be able to pull something off. Moving close to a wall, she waved at Jaydon to get his attention. “Hey! If you want me so much, come and get me!” she yelled, and her brother took the bait. His kargaroc went into a dive, and Torianna jumped out of the way just as her brother saw the wall he was going to hit.

The beast hit the side of the manor with a crash, and Jaydon fell to the ground. He got up, badly injured, and limped over to Torianna.

“When are you going to give up!?” he screamed. “Don’t you know you’re making my life a living nightmare!?”

“I can’t give up!” Torianna shot back. “What’s the alternative, go back to being a tool for the biggest crime lord in Hyrule!? Maybe you can stomach that, but I can’t anymore!” She could feel the eyes of the others on her now as she examined her brother. Same green eyes, same brown hair… despite their wildly different personalities, they must have realized their family bond.

The afternoon sunset shone in Jaydon’s eyes as he stumbled back to his recovering bird. “What will you do now?” he asked. “You know that dad’s Network will capture you again, and now he’ll be happy to kill you.”

“What did dad want with me, anyway? Why did he spare me twice?” Torianna asked, avoiding the question. Jaydon paused, then looked away and climbed back onto his kargaroc. He couldn’t answer her, but somehow, Torianna knew her father’s intentions for her were far from benign. Perhaps… they were so bad that not even her brother could bear to say them?

The rest of the group was too battered to pursue Jaydon, so they watched as he took to the skies and left them behind.

“So,” Endel said; Torianna braced herself for what was coming next. “How interesting that the person who organized crime in Hyrule, captured you, tried to kill us, wanted Maia dead, and is conspiring with a warlock happens to be your father! How fascinating that you never thought to mention that!”

“I was… waiting for the right time…” Torianna muttered; she could feel herself withering.

“Right time? Right time!? The right time to tell us would have been when Lorcan risked his neck to save you!”

“Endel, I do not think this is an appropriate-” Skallin tried to interject, but Endel cut him off. “We risked our lives to save you and you’re still keeping secrets!”

At that moment Lorcan got up, standing between the two of them. Fists raised, he glared at Endel. “What do you want to say now, Lorcan?” he replied wearily. The quiet boy gestured them both over, then grabbed their arms. Torianna looked at him with confusion, but he kept looking back and forth between the two of them and shaking their arms.

Then both of them caught on. Reluctantly, the two shook hands and made eye contact, Endel looking frustrated but trying to regain his composure. Torianna looked to Lorcan and gave him a smile of gratitude.

Turning to Endel now, Lorcan pointed to the sky and did a hand gesture of a waving bird. “Oh, we’re not going to worry about Jaydon for now,” Endel told him, “We have more pressing matters to attend to. But for now, we need to rest. Skallin has some… disturbing news for us.”

\---

As they made the long walk back to their carriage, Maia thought about the events of the day. Fighting, thieving, getting into danger, but most importantly, seeing Princess Zelda again. True, she hadn’t been as thrilled to see her as Maia would have hoped, but surely she’d move past this rough spot and they could go back to being friends?

But then a sad thought occurred to Maia; would Zelda really want to be friends again after seeing her maiden become a Scoundrel of Virtue? Although not officially banning the organization, she knew that Zelda did not recognize their legitimacy. The princess probably wouldn’t want a friend that stole and lied as she’d learned to do. Suddenly, Maia realized she was crying. She’d made peace with leaving her own life already, but losing Zelda… that was almost too much.

Maia wiped away the tears as they reached the carriage. It was dusk now, so Endel had them saddle up and said Skallin would catch them up on the ride home. Torianna and Lorcan took the driver’s seat this time while Maia and the others sat in the back.

“I should start with an explanation,” Skallin began, “Before joining you, I was an assistant to Kazdan in his project to create what he called ‘hybrids’ and you know as the sentients fused with monsters.”

Torianna looked back at him. “Wait, are you saying Kazdan made that freaky lizard-woman?” Skallin nodded. “Why? That woman wasn’t any better at fighting than a monster or a human, so why make these, uh, hybrids?”

“I believe that these hybrids are not Kazdan’s end goal, merely a means of bringing people to his side,” Skallin explained, “some by force, others by election. Indeed, some believed their life as a hybrid would be superior to their current one.”

Maia could see that being the case, given that she’d left her own life behind for adventure. Maybe the woman at the orphanage felt the same way?

“Kazdan’s true plot, as I said, is not these hybrids, but a more ambitious goal. It is true that some hybridization-such as Kazdan’s- shows remarkable benefits, but he does not desire mass-production of these more desirable hybrids. Kazdan instead believes that, through the proper splicing of monsters with sentients, he can do something unprecedented.”

“Some sort of super monster?” Endel asked. Skallin shook his head. “The resurrection of the demons.” he answered.

The word ‘demon’ made Maia’s blood freeze. She’d been allowed to study Hylian history, and knew a great deal about the story of the goddess Hylia’s battle with the demons. “A world of demons… that would be horrible!” Maia exclaimed. “Why would Kazdan want such a thing?”

“Kazdan studied the ancient history of Hyrule and was disgusted by the human usurpation of demonkind. He believes that demons are the superior race and deserve world domination. He believes the gods should have never aided the humans in the defeat of the demons, and wishes to undo their recourse. This view is held by Kazdan and all his closest allies.”

Maia looked at Torianna, who had gone quiet. She almost felt sorry for her, knowing that she must be struggling with what her father was doing. Still, Maia couldn’t look past their conversation in Kakariko, or the fact that Torianna had chosen to stay by her father for so long.

She turned to Endel now; he looked almost ill. She’d have to talk to him later about all this. For now, she looked back at Skallin. “Kazdan is wrong. It’s our duty to oppose him.” she said. Skallin nodded in reply.

The ride back to Castle Town was quiet after that; Maia was relieved when they finally entered the town gates and left their carriage behind. As they walked back to the castle, she pulled Endel aside.

“You seem distracted... what’s wrong?” she asked. Maybe it was none of her business, but Endel didn’t seem to mind. “Have I ever told you why I joined the Scoundrels of Virtue?” he replied, and Maia shook her head.

Endel chuckled and looked at the night sky. “Because I wanted to prove I could pull myself up by my bootstraps and be my own man. I didn’t want the gods interfering in my life, not after the sorry one they gave me. But now, I learn Kazdan thinks the same as me…”

“You and Kazdan are not the same.” Maia rebuked him. “Kazdan wants to make everyone conform to his vision of an ideal Hyrule; you just want to prove yourself right.” She looked at the ground. “I’m not saying I agree with your atheistic beliefs, but you are much better than Kazdan.”

Endel looked at her for a moment, then smiled. “You’re sharper than you think, Maia,” he said, tousling her hair playfully. She had to admit, she was starting to like Endel a lot.

\---

The next few hours went by in a blur for Torianna. They met with Zelda and Skallin made his report, giving her the journal. She ordered some of her guardsman to go and arrest Kazdan, though Torianna thought they’d be lucky to get within five feet of the man. They were shortly dismissed, and Torianna wandered off to find some form of entertainment.

Searching through an old storeroom, she found exactly what she was looking for; a dart board. Making her way back to her appointed room (they had individual rooms now, which beat sharing a room with a girl that hated her), she set the board on a wall and spent the next few hours brooding on her situation.

Damn her father, and her brother, and that overbearing warlock. Damn them for kidnapping her and attacking Lorcan and trying to use her for their twisted schemes. She didn't even know what they wanted from her, but she knew she couldn't do it; not anymore.

Her first hit landed on the left side of the inner ring.

Damn Endel for snapping at her like he did, and Maia for being so terrified yet never saying a word to confront her. Damn them for not understanding why she had to keep this a secret.

The second dart landed just to the right of the centre.

And damn Lorcan and all his messy duplicity. Damn his temper tantrums and sadistic threats, his fuming silences and accusatory glares, his defensive words and rescue missions - damn all of it alike!

Bullseye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to address Kazdan; he's kind of a group project between all the people that helped make this RP originally. No one person can claim ownership of him.


	10. Chapter 10

Waking up in a nice bed was almost too strange for Endel. He was so used to cots or sleeping bags, the feel of a mattress was alien to him. Still, he wasn’t going to complain about getting such great sleep, and best of all, no weird dreams. He was still brooding over what Skallin had told him yesterday, but it was starting to drift out of his mind.

Still, he was pretty stressed. Tearing into Torianna had opened his eyes to how high strung he’d become. And he was concerned about the arrest of Kazdan, which he doubted would be successful. Since there was nothing to do but wait, the best course of action was probably to find someone to talk to.

Leaving his room behind, Endel weighed his options. He didn’t feel like an abstract discussion with Skallin, and Lorcan and Torianna were probably still sore about his antics yesterday… his best choice was Maia. He knew that she was staying in a new room close by, so he asked someone for directions and found her room with relative ease.

Knocking on the door, Endel heard Maia invite him in. He stepped inside to find her on the room’s balcony, staring down at the garden. “Did something interesting get your attention?” he asked. “Just watching my old friends,” she replied distantly.

It occured to Endel that Maia had left behind a pretty nice life; he felt guilty for taking her away from that. “Hey,” he spoke up, “I just wanted to let you know that we really appreciate having you with us.”

Maia looked at him now, confused. “What makes you say that all of a sudden?” she asked. “I don’t like making people do things they don’t want to,” he replied.

“Really?” Maia said, unconvinced. “You don’t seem to care about making people feel loss when you steal from them.” Endel shook his head. “That’s different. I steal the excess from people that deserve it so I can survive.”

Endel didn’t think Maia was judging him, but she seemed to want to test his moral code a bit. “You’re a good man, Endel, but you need to learn selflessness,” she criticized. “I feel like you do everything you want because it makes you feel good about yourself.”

“That’s not true, I… uh…” Endel stopped because he knew Maia was right. He stole, he improved himself, he developed a respectable moral code… all because it made him feel good. Even when he helped others, he was doing it to satisfy his ego.

“I’ve given my life to the princess and to your Scoundrels of Virtue,” Maia continued. “I want to be better for the sake of both. And if I die in their service, I will do so knowing I contributed to something that will outlive me when I’m gone.” She looked Endel directly in the eyes. “I want you to be able to say the same,” she concluded.

Endel wished he could think like Maia, but he was too selfish for his own good. Or was he too selfish for the good of others? Probably both.

\---

The sunlight was already streaming through her curtains when Torianna woke up. She figured it must be mid-morning, as she could hear people starting to move about the castle. Waking up in the morning had never been her thing, but it seemed to do wonders for her mental state; a good chunk of her anger from last night had subsided.

Getting out of bed, she decided to take advantage of the en suite bathroom and take a hot bath. She took her time, trying to extinguish the last of her ire in the bathwater, then got out and dried off. Putting on her thieving attire (she doubted she’d need it, but it was her most comfortable outfit), she left her room and had a guard show her the way to the kitchen.

In the dining hall she ran into Endel and Maia. The latter was her usual self, but Endel greeted her with a small smile. No mentions of yesterday, but no sappy apologies either… just the way she preferred it. This was why she liked Endel.

“Sleep well last night?” he asked. Torianna shrugged. “Well enough,” she replied. She took a bite of her muffin and tried to meet Maia’s gaze. No luck. “Any news on Kazdan?” she asked without skipping a beat.

“The soldiers have gone to arrest him, but I don’t have high hopes…” he muttered, and Torianna grinned bitterly. She wanted this to all be over, but things had probably just begun.

A guard came into the room, followed by an extremely sleepy Lorcan. He looked them all over, then sat down and buried his head in his hands. “He’s not a morning person,” Endel explained, and Torianna snickered.

“So, what are the plans for today?” she asked. “We can’t really do anything until the arrest is made, but…” he replied. Torianna eyed him curiously. “... I have some reports to make to Ashei that involve you,” he continued. “So we’re all going to headquarters.”

Now she was really interested, but Endel wasn’t saying anything. “You’ll find out when we get to base, trust me!” was all he would say.

\---

They finished breakfast, then met Skallin in the courtyard and made their way to the Scoundrels of Virtue base. Endel led the group through the underground passages, then left them for a moment outside Ashei’s office.

“Gotta discuss confidential information!” he teased, then slipped into the room. Ashei must have caught what he said, because she didn’t look impressed.

“If you’re done flaunting your authority let’s get down to business, yeah?” she said in her usual blunt tone. Endel apologized, then made his report on the events at the mansion. Ashei looked deeply disturbed.

“We’re overwhelmed as it is killing regular freaks, let alone armies of weird monster-people…” she brooded. Endel had a feeling she’d be like this, and had come prepared. “You know, we could always start publicly recruiting,” he suggested.

Ashei looked at him like he’d suggested she give her position to Cheval, so he tried to continue before she got a word in. “Hear me out! Zelda knows about us and thinks highly of us now. With the support of the princess, people will think better of our group and will want to join. We can’t pass up this chance to recruit!”

It took some more convincing, but Endel got Ashei on board with the idea. “On one condition,” she added, “no more pointless thieving!” He nodded. “You have my word,” he promised. He could always go back to thieving after this crisis blew over. “Now, there’s one other thing I wanted to talk about. I have a suggestion for our first recruit…”

“Go on,” Ashei said.

\---

Torianna was surprised when both Endel and Ashei walked out of her office. She was even more surprised when the deputy leader stopped in front of her. “You,” she said flatly. “Endel says you’ve been pulling your weight pretty well around here. That true?” Torianna nodded in a rare moment of stunned silence. “Got it,” she replied. “Well, I get the feeling you would make a great Scoundrel. Apparently you’re a good fighter, and you know how to infiltrate as well as Endel. How’d you like to join?”

It took Torianna a moment to process what she’d just heard. Her? A Scoundrel? Though she’d been working for Network her entire life, meaning she had the skills, these were two completely different organizations.

Still, the Scoundrels of Virtue had interested her ever since she’d broken in a few days ago. Meeting Endel and Lorcan had changed her into a different thief, one that the Scoundrels could possibly use. And anyway, she was long past going back to Network.

Endel looked at her with an anxious smile. Lorcan elbowed her gently, urging her on. Torianna knew her answer, but she wanted to bask in the suspense for a moment before finally telling them.

“How could I say no to that?” she replied with a huge grin. Ashei returned the smile and shook Torianna’s hand before returning to her usual self.

“I understand you have family ties in Network, yeah?” she asked, to which Torianna nodded. “Got it. In that case, we need you protected in case they come after you. Lorcan, I’m counting on you to watch her back!”

Lorcan smiled and looked at Torianna. She could tell the boy could barely contain his excitement. “We’ll talk about putting you back on guard duty after this blows over,” Ashei continued. “For now, I’ve gotta report to Telma. The Scoundrels of Virtue are starting open recruitment, which means I’m gonna be busy. I’m leaving this Kazdan guy to you five! Now get outta here!”

Torianna walked beside Lorcan with a spring in her step. “Personal guard huh? Guess I’ll be spending more time with you.” she said, to which the boy nodded and smiled. “Great! Now I can pester you all day long!” she added; Lorcan immediately lost his smile.

“Oh, don’t be so sour!” she teased. “Why are you always so grumpy anyway?” Lorcan gave her a confused look. “Come on, you know what I mean!” she replied. “Even when you’re happy you have that serious look on your face!”

Lorcan shrugged. Torianna took that as an agreement. “I thought it was because you’re always quiet, but you don’t seem too bothered about that, so it must be something else…” she proposed, which seemed to make him uneasy. She was onto something!

Racking her brain, Torianna tried to think of the times where she’d seen Lorcan happy. Just now, of course, but the only other significant time she could think of was in…

“The forest!” Torianna exclaimed. Lorcan nearly jumped out of his skin; clearly she had hit the nail on the head. “Endel once mentioned that you go there a lot for missions! But why does that make you grumpy?”

Falling behind the others, Lorcan suddenly grabbed Torianna by the arm and pulled her down another corridor. “Hey!” she exclaimed, but the boy kept dragging her through the base. Reaching a ladder, he motioned for her to climb, and she did so. The ladder led to a manhole in an alleyway where they could talk.

Checking again to make sure nobody was around, he sat down and crossed his legs, then pulled out a piece of chalk. Torianna sat down as well, and he began to write.

‘The forest is my home.’

Torianna looked at him with incredulity. Before she could say anything though, he continued.

‘I grew up there. I learned how to navigate there.’

“Oh my, so you were like a little forest boy, swinging from the trees!” Torianna laughed, but as she got quiet, she saw Lorcan was glaring at her. “Oh come on now, tell me I’m wrong!” she teased. Lorcan put a hand to his head and sighed.

Then a thought occurred to Torianna. “Why did you leave?” she asked, and Lorcan began to write again.

‘Monsters came. Ganondorf sent them. I couldn’t stay.’

Torianna was quiet now. She didn’t know what to say… maybe I’m sorry? She was so terrible at handling these things! For now she just tried to continue the conversation.

“So, you joined the Scoundrels of Virtue to help clear out the forest?” she asked, and Lorcan nodded. That made sense, and now she felt like she understood him better. Lorcan was actually a pretty interesting guy.

With a grunt, Lorcan got back up and helped Torianna to her feet. Going back to the manhole, they descended and caught back up with the group. Luckily, the others had stopped to gear up and had figured they’d gone off to do the same.

Torianna felt that tugging sensation in her gut again as she thought about Lorcan. She wasn’t sure what it was about, but it certainly wasn’t welcome.

\---

Lorcan and the others arrived at the gates to Hyrule Castle when a guardsman informed them that they were being summoned to the debate hall. “Only the court can deliver a summons…” Maia muttered. Lorcan tensed; if the nobility had business with them, it certainly wasn’t good.

The guard led them high up the castle’s central keep and into what seemed to be the most lavish room of the building. The centerpiece was a statue to the creation goddesses that loomed over the seat of the prime minister. Zelda’s seat was on the opposite end of a long table that Lorcan assumed was a meeting place for the court. He wasn’t surprised that the lords who funded the rebuilt castle went out of their way to make their room the most impressive.

“So nice of you to join us!” a voice echoed through the room. Lorcan knew that voice… Kazdan! But where was he? Other than the five of them, the room seemed to be entirely empty.

Suddenly there was a flash of light, and the world around them changed. The bodies of nobles littered the bloodstained floor. Zelda was standing, bound, next to the seat of the prime minister. And sitting in that seat was Kazdan.

“As you can see, I’ve committed to sweeping political reform that will change the course of Hyrule.” Kazdan said, gesturing to the dead nobles. “Trimming away the burdensome court, compelling Zelda to sign her remaining powers over to me… I’ve done more for Hyrule in a few minutes than this cumbersome political body has done in years!”

“And I won’t stop here,” Kazdan continued. “As you’ve no doubt learned from my old assistant, I plan to revive the demons and restore their rule to this land. Hyrule will once again belong to its rightful heirs!” Lorcan stared at him with unbridled fury; this man was insane.

“Oh, but you must be wondering about the guardsman you sent to arrest me?” Kazdan teased. “I saw they were insufficient for apprehending criminals and gave them a few… alterations. Now they’re ready to defeat the true enemy; yourselves!”

With a snap of his fingers, four creatures shambled from behind the giant throne. They wore tattered bits of Hyrulean guardsman armor, but the experiments performed on them had largely caused the equipment to tear and break. Each was now a hybrid: one was part tektite, another infused with white wolfos parts, the third was partially keese, and the last resembled a toadpoli.

“I wish you a slow and painful death, Scoundrels!” Kazdan remarked with a cackle before he and Zelda disappeared in a flash of white. The hybrids began to advance on them.

“Maia, go get help!” Endel ordered. “The rest of you, weapons ready! We’re not going to die here!”

The maiden girl dashed for the exit while the rest of them split up. Each hybrid chose a target and scrambled to them; Lorcan was surprised at how agile they were.

The white wolfos hybrid chose him as his prey, closing in and beginning to circle him. Wolves were a problem in the forest, so a white wolfos should be pretty similar, right? Lorcan learned he was wrong when the abomination lunged at him, mostly colliding with his shield but managing to get a swipe in with his claws. Lorcan hissed in pain; the hybrid had cut through the armor on his arm like a hot knife through butter. He tried to look away as the blood trickled out of the wound.

Lorcan heard a slash of steel through skin and quickly glanced to Endel, who had slain the toadpoli hybrid. Wasting no time, the thief bore down on the white wolfos, who realized it was being ambushed and reared up for another pounce. Lorcan didn’t know if he could block another hit from the monstrosity, but raised his shield as it leapt into the air.

The white wolfos hybrid made it less than a foot before its hind legs were grabbed by Endel. Pulling it to the ground, Endel held on tight as Lorcan stabbed it in the neck. “Two down, let’s split up and help the others.” Endel said, then went to help Skallin with the keese hybrid. 

Lorcan looked over to see Torianna struggling with the tektite hybrid, then had an idea. Trying to stay behind it, Lorcan snuck up on the creature and hewed its back legs out from under it. Torianna smirked, then stabbed the hybrid through its center eye. “We make a good team!” Torianna said, to which Lorcan smiled.

Both of them looked to Endel and Skallin, who were just out of reach of the keese hybrid. The abomination took its eyes off Skallin to focus on Endel, which was a fatal mistake. Seizing the opportunity, Skallin picked up a chair and threw it at the hybrid, knocking it out of the sky so Endel could slice it in half. Finally, they were all dead.

Seconds later Maia came into the room, followed by at least a dozen royal guardsmen. They surrounded everyone before their leader stepped forward. “I am Georges, captain of the royal guard,” he barked. “What is going on here?” Endel gave a quick recap of the encounter with Kazdan and the fight with the hybrids.

“Your friend explained much of that to us, but I wanted to be sure…” Georges told them. Maia stepped forward. “The guards want to cooperate with the Scoundrels of Virtue,” she explained. “I’m supposed to help organize a treaty between both groups.” Lorcan looked at her with surprise. It was nice to see Maia coming into her own.

“Please contact your superiors so that we may conduct a truce.” Georges told Endel, to which the latter agreed. It looked like the craziest alliance in the history of the Scoundrels of Virtue was actually about to happen.

\---

Maia spent the next few days acting as negotiator between the Scoundrels of Virtue and the Royal Guard. Georges seemed like a reasonable man, and she knew Telma and Ashei could be counted on to make the right call, but there was a lot of bad blood between the two parties. In particular, Georges demanded reparations for the merchants and townspeople the Scoundrels had stolen from.

“Your organization has stolen thousands of coins in goods!” Georges argued. “What is the Royal Guard supposed to do about that?”

“Do you think we have that money just laying around!?” Ashei shot back. Maia had a feeling this was going nowhere, so she stepped in to intervene. “Everyone! It’s clear that both sides have grievances. But it should be pointed out that Telma and Ashei have already agreed to stop the illegal actions of their organization. That should be enough.”

Georges looked at her with incredulity. “And what should I tell the merchants that have gone out of business!? That they’ll just have to accept their losses and settle for poverty!?” he shot back. Maia knew the man had a point. Coins were much harder to come by than the old currency of rupees, as they had to be manufactured instead of found, so the poor couldn’t just go searching Hyrule Field for them. But Maia knew that rupees had mysteriously disappeared when Link did, so there was nothing to be done about it.

“What if… the worst thieves of the Scoundrels of Virtue agreed to punishment for their actions?” she offered. “Telma and Ashei would be happy to reprimand their subordinates for actions they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place.”

“And of course, we can use the money from my tavern to help cover the damage my dears have done,” Telma added. Maia looked at her in shock; why was Telma agreeing to take the fall for her underlings? Endel, who was watching over the proceedings, appeared to be ashamed when Maia looked at him.

Georges rubbed his chin for a moment, then looked at Telma. “One more thing,” he posited, “after this situation blows over, I want your organization disbanded, with the promise that you won’t reorganize again.”

Ashei and Telma looked like they had been caught off guard by this request, but quickly recovered. “Done.” Telma replied flatly. Maia had them sign the contract of cooperation, and it was over. The Royal Guard and the Scoundrels of Virtue were allies.

Exhausted, Maia joined the others in the dining hall. It was then that she realized a horrible truth: she had failed Princess Zelda. If they had just been here when Kazdan had captured her…!

Endel seemed to notice the shift in her mood. “Everything ok?” he asked. Maia shook her head. “We’ll get Zelda back, I promise,” he tried to console her, but she wasn’t having it.

“How can you be so sure? Kazdan won’t give her up, and he probably wants to kill her!” Maia shot back. She could feel tears forming in her eyes, but she tried to hold them back.

“...You’re right,” was the only reply he could give her. Then a thought formed in her head. “What if we looked for Link?” she asked. “He’s strong, he cared about Zelda… I’m sure if we found him and told him what was going on, he could save us!”

Endel shook his head, shooting the idea down. “If anything, I hope he never shows up.” he said dismissively.

Maia couldn’t believe her ears. “Think about it,” Endel continued, “there’s no hero from the goddess to save us this time. We have to look out for ourselves. I honestly couldn’t be more pleased with the situation.”

Endel’s odd viewpoint still left Maia speechless, but she tried to see things from his point of view. Endel was all about doing things his way, for his own benefit. A Hyrule where someone didn’t save the day for him probably seemed pretty great.

“I suppose I can see where you’re coming from... “ she finally relented. “And Kazdan is one of us: we have to take responsibility for our own this time.”

“And we will,” Endel concluded, “...with your help, of course.”

Maia was frustrated with Endel’s outlook at times, but he made good points. And she could stand to have a bit of his courage rub off on her. Maybe it would if she kept warming up to him like this?

\---

Endel and the others left dinner on a note of uncertainty, and not even Torianna felt like lightening the mood. Each of them went back to their rooms and went to bed hoping the next day would bring better fortune. 

Falling asleep, Endel was surprised to find himself in the dreams of the white-skinned man again. He was even more surprised when he realized he was standing in front of an enormous, red-robed dragon. But perhaps the greatest surprise of all came when the dragon began to speak.

“I strike a covenant with you, demon lord. For as long as you live, you will be under my care and in my service.”

Demon lord? Was he seriously seeing the dreams of such a dangerous person? And weren’t the demons wiped out? This must be an extremely old memory!  
The dragon extended its arm to the demon lord, who took it in his hand. A strange energy seemed to pulse between them. “It is finished,” the dragon said, folding his arms. “You shall remain in the service of Eldin, the dragon god of fire, and I shall in turn grant you asylum from Hylia’s wrath.”

Eldin faded away, and Endel woke up in his own bed. It was early morning outside, so he rolled over on his side and tried to force the weird dream out of his head. Strangely, a feeling of understanding sank into his consciousness instead, a feeling that he wouldn’t have any more dreams about the demon lord. He usually didn’t pay any heed to strange intuitions, but he felt comfort from this sensation, and decided to respect it.

Climbing out of bed, Endel undressed and put on an outfit more for travelling than thieving. He had decided it would be his mission to get the group out of Hyrule Castle today, and hopefully on the road to somewhere far from Castle Town. To that end, he needed to speak to Ashei.

Finding his deputy leader wasn’t easy, but thankfully she wasn’t in a meeting. He told her about his desire to get his gang out of the castle, but she dismissed the idea. “The guards won’t let us out until they’re sure they’ve located Kazdan. They don’t want us wandering the town and stealing stuff, yeah?”

“What if they didn’t know we were gone?” Endel coyly asked. Ashei smiled in reply. “Well, then I never heard you mention the idea of sneaking out to do a mission…”

They had a quick discussion about certain ‘loose ends’ that needed fixing, and Endel was off to round up his friends. It didn’t take long for them to discreetly come together in a storage room for a briefing.

“Ashei is giving us unofficial orders to go to the Gerudo Desert,” he explained. “Someone is out there rallying the bulblins, probably Kazdan. We need to put a stop to them before Hyrule is full of organized raiding parties.”

“But how are we going to get out of the castle?” Maia asked. “Good question,” Endel replied, “I don’t think the guards are good enough to stop a few Scoundrels, wouldn’t you agree?” Torianna smiled, eager to slip past a few layabout guardsmen.

“Let’s split up and meet at the center of town. Move out everyone!” Endel said, and they all scattered.

Getting past the guards was even easier than Endel anticipated. He met the others in the center of Castle Town, where they proceeded to the stables to get a carriage. Lorcan and Torianna took the reins while Endel and the others sat in the back.

What surprised everyone the most as they left town was the stares they got. Endel wasn’t sure at first why they were getting so much attention, but Torianna pointed out that their status as Scoundrels of Virtue probably made them celebrities.

“Kinda strange to see us get so much attention…” Torianna muttered. Lorcan merely shrugged. “I mean, I know people were aware of us before, but this is unprecedented,” she continued, causing Lorcan to chuckle at her modesty. Torianna huffed sarcastically and focused back on the road.

Endel directed them toward a stone bridge that had been completed in Lanayru and led to a highway to the desert. It wasn’t too long before they reached a sandy road that couldn’t be crossed by carriage. “Let’s dismount and leave the carriage here,” Endel said. “Bandits don’t roam this area, so it should be left alone.”

Just then, Endel could feel the strangest sensation. It was that feeling he’d had in Castle Town, when all this began, that he was being watched. “Everything ok, Endel?” Skallin asked him. Endel nodded in reply. “I just felt like I was being watched, like when you were watching me in Castle Town from the store.” he explained.

Skallin tilted his head to the side. “Looking at you?” he said, “I was never looking at you from the storefront.”

Endel shivered. Why did he feel like something was peering at him then? “Perhaps they are the eyes of Hylia,” Skallin suggested. “I feel them sometimes. It is not a burden if you do not make it to be one.”

Eyes of Hylia, huh? Endel thought it was just a weird phenomenon caused by stress or something. He didn’t believe in Hylia, why would she care about him?

“Let’s just focus on the mission.” Endel replied dismissively. As they stepped into the desert, he focused his mind on their objective, and the thoughts of the goddess, his recent failures, and the future of the Scoundrels of Virtue faded into oblivion.

End of Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's part one! There will be three parts. Before you begin part two, make sure to read part one of Shatter, my companion piece to The Scoundrels of Virtue. It has important clarifications on plot points from part one!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Make sure you read part 1 of Shatter before you read this chapter! Thanks for reading!

The hot sand burned Torianna’s feet through her boots.

This desert had to be the most miserable place she had ever been to. The sun beat down on you relentlessly, there were giant sinkholes everywhere… but the moldorms were the worst. Swimming through the sand like fish, they could leap several feet in the air and take a bite out of you. Endel already had a nasty wound on his arm where one had snapped at him.

“Remind me why we’re doing this?” Torianna asked their leader. Endel gazed back at her with a look of frustration. “We’re trying to strike back at Kazdan,” he replied, “and we don’t want him getting an army of bulblins either.”

“I get that… but why not do it at night?” she quipped.

“Because we don’t have the luxury of waiting that long!” he shot back. 

“There is also the issue of the chasms,” Skallin added. “They were created by titanic beasts digging through the desert long ago, and are extremely deep. We would be hard pressed to avoid them at night.”

At least Skallin had something interesting to say, though he probably wasn’t exhausted like the rest of them. Torianna didn’t dare bother Lorcan in this state. 

They trekked for another mile before coming upon the bulblin camp. Thankfully their encampment was in the empty part of the desert, not the ruins outside the creepy Arbiter’s Grounds. They were way too far out to be spotted, but Endel gathered them around to form a plan before they got in range.

“Ok, we’re aiming for three targets,” Endel explained, “The bulblins, their bullbos, and whoever is trying to win them over to Kazdan’s side. We need to hit all three at once, so that means we need three teams. Torianna and Lorcan, take care of the bulblins. Maia, set the bullbos loose. Skallin, you and I will rush Kazdan’s crony.”

“How are we going to get close enough without being spotted though?” Torianna asked. Lorcan raised his hand and pointed to himself. Of course! Jungle boy probably had the eyes of a hawk, so they’d know when it was safe to approach.

“We move out on Lorcan’s signal!” Endel told them. They were behind a hill, so Lorcan crawled to the top and peered out to the camp. After a few minutes, he signalled that it was ok to move, so they crept toward their destination.

Torianna and the others continued this way for a few hundred paces, stopping behind hills and rocks to wait out the watchman. Lorcan was a master at sneaking like this, and it was clear to her now why the kid had joined the Scoundrels of Virtue. When they were finally close enough, Endel gestured for them to split into their groups. Torianna followed Lorcan around the camp to where the horde of bulblins were gathered.

Lorcan held up his hand, signalling Torianna to stop. They were crouched behind a rare tree that had long fallen over. “I go right and you go left?” she whispered, and Lorcan nodded.

Bulblins were, unsurprisingly, very stupid, so Torianna had no trouble sneaking up on them and stabbing one in the back. Lorcan did the same from the other side of the horde, and soon a battle had started. She slew three before they even realized what was going on. Lorcan got four… she’d let him get the best of her.

Torianna would have to worry about that later, though, because now they were in a brawl. Bulblins had terrible posture, so their faces stuck out in front of their bodies and weapons. It was a breeze for her slashing and stabbing them in the face, and it seemed Lorcan had caught on as well.

Soon enough they had mowed down most of the bulblins, but their archers had backed off and were supporting their club-weilding buddies with fire arrows. “They’re slow! Outrun the ones with clubs and get those archers!” Torianna yelled in Lorcan’s direction. Both of them ditched the melee fighters to focus on their friends, and the archers were wiped out in short order.

“We’re not done yet!” Torianna shouted to Lorcan, and the two of them circled the remaining bulblins. Before they could advance, a cacophony of screams filled the air. Thinking it was another group of bulblins, Torianna turned around to see Maia ushering the bullbos out of their pen. She also spotted Endel and Skallin running toward a tall woman that must’ve been Kazdan’s agent. Torianna could bet the woman was a hybrid.

Things were about to get interesting.

\---

As Endel and Skallin rushed Kazdan’s servant they both hoped to themselves that this woman didn’t have any tricks up her sleeve. Drawing their swords, they pointed them at the woman in hopes that she would surrender.

“You’re not supposed to be here…” she warned, “... but don’t worry, I can take care of you!” Suddenly there was a bright, sustained flash of light; when it faded, the woman had been replaced by a monster Endel had never seen before.

The hybrid looked like a cross between a fish and a frog. Fins on its back and tail suggested it could swim through sand like a moldorm, but the stubby hands and legs (they had human digits, but Endel suspected that was a result of hybridization) were very froglike. It had eyes like a human, same as the woman’s, and shark-like teeth. But the most striking feature was the huge chin protrusion.

“This is a molduga! The ancient predator of Gerudo Desert!” Skallin informed him. “They burrow massive tunnels beneath the sand and fling prey into the air with their fins. They were believed to be extinct!”

Before Endel could ask how Kazdan had hybridized a dead species, the molduga hybrid dived into the sand and burrowed at them with incredible speed. Thinking fast, Endel spotted a couple of bullbos headed their way. “Grab a mount!” he hollered at Skallin, and they both leapt onto the side of a bullbo and scrambled up the saddle. The boar-like monsters weren’t as fast as a horse, but they were sufficient to outspeed the hybrid.

“We can’t just keep running! There has to be some way to beat this thing!” Endel shouted. “We need explosives! They were hunted with bombs in ancient times!” Skallin informed him. Damn it! They left their bombs on the carriage. Unless…

Endel suddenly had an idea. “Distract this thing! I need to get Maia!” He hollered to Skallin, who nodded and broke away. It seemed the hybrid preferred chasing louder prey, so all of Skallin’s clanking armor drew its attention. Endel made a beeline for Maia and found her hiding behind the bullbo pens.

“Maia, get up here! You have your bombs, right?” Endel asked. Maia nodded but looked hesitantly at him. “I need your help! The hybrid can only be killed with your bombs!” Maia shook her head and pulled her bombs out of her backpack. “Just take them! I can’t help you!”

“I don’t have time to argue! Get up here and help me!” Endel ordered her. Shaking heavily, Maia climbed up and got behind him on the saddle. Goddess, this girl could be annoyingly timid, but at least she was helping.

Whipping the bullbo, Endel held on tight as the beast charged in Skallin’s direction. Both their mounts were getting tired, so they probably only had one chance to make this work.

There was still enough distance between Skallin’s bullbo and the molduga hybrid, so Endel steered his own directly behind the darknut. “When I say ready, light a bomb! When I say go, drop it!” he directed Maia. The girl looked white as a sheet, but nodded and pulled out an explosive.

“Ready!” Endel shouted. Maia lit the bomb. They waited for a few paces so it would explode at just the right moment. “GO!” he ordered, and Maia dropped the bomb. The hybrid didn’t even notice the bomb hit the ground, and kept chasing them.

The bomb exploded right on top of it. Sand was flung into the air by the powerful explosion, and the molduga hybrid went with it. Flailing in the sky, it landed on its back, completely stunned. But Endel never got a chance to attack it.

Leaping off the bullbo, Maia ran at the molduga hybrid and drew her sword. Reaching the monster, she began stabbing it in the eyes furiously. Now the creature couldn’t get back in the sand even if it recovered from the bomb; it was doomed. Running around the chin, Maia tore into its stomach with her blade until it finally died.

Endel was speechless.

Torianna and Lorcan, having finished the bulblins, ran up to their friends. Lorcan looked as if he couldn’t talk even if he wanted to, and Torianna looked just as stunned.

“That was for Zelda…” Maia meekly informed them before collapsing to her knees.

\---

After the battle, Maia got praise from everyone for her heroic efforts. “I didn’t know you had it in ya!” Torianna exclaimed, patting her on the back. Lorcan handed her a canteen; she hadn’t realized how thirsty she was.

“Well done, Maia!” Skallin congratulated her. “You have the makings of a fierce warrior!” Maia blushed as she looked to Endel, who was staring at her with a big smile. He walked over and helped her to her feet.

“I knew you could be a fighter if you gave it your all!” Endel told her. “I guess my training paid off!” Maia nodded. “I think I’m ready to get even better!” she said.

Endel thought for a moment, then seemed to have an idea. “I know! Torianna can train you! She’s a lot better with smaller, thinner blades, so she can teach you the finer points of using them.”

Maia looked at Torianna and her resolve began to fade. The two girls didn’t get along with each other at all, and although they could show civility in public, private training would be an entirely different matter.

Neither of them could tell Endel they refused, of course, so Torianna and Maia reluctantly agreed. “Great!” Endel exclaimed, acting oblivious to the situation he’d created. “We can sort out the fine details later. For now, I need to talk to Skallin about something.”

Skallin turned to Endel. “I assume this is about the hybrid we encountered?” he asked, and Endel nodded. “How could Kazdan have created a hybrid from something extinct?” he questioned the darknut, who started to think carefully.

“That’s nothing new! Kazdan has wizzrobe blood in his veins, and nobody’s seen one of those in forever!” Torianna objected, but Skallin shook his head. “He acquired that wizzrobe blood from a merchant. A lucky opportunity for him, but nothing more...” he explained. “...molduga blood and remains, however, were not in his possession to my knowledge. He would need a special power beyond his own to create new matter from nothing.”

Maia suddenly knew the answer to the mystery. “Princess Zelda,” she stated, “can create what Kazdan would need. She has the power of the goddess!” Everyone looked at her, amazed.

“Maia is right.” Skallin seconded. “Zelda and the royal princesses have divine powers that could certainly suffice for Kazdan’s experiments.”

“Then we need to get going.” Endel said. “The sooner we find Zelda the better!”

Everyone travelled back to the carriage. They hadn’t been gone for long, but Maia was glad to be back on green grass again. The sun had also gone down, which helped cool them off. When they reached the carriage, Endel called for them to set up camp rather than travel across Hyrule at night. Maia was surprised when Torianna yanked her over for a bit of training before bedtime.

“First thing’s first,” Torianna explained bluntly, “You and I both use weapons made for thrusting. I use daggers, you use slim swords. But that doesn’t mean you only thrust. For example…” she drew her silver dagger, “come at me with a thrust!”

Hesitating, Maia drew her sword and lunged at Torianna. The other girl sidestepped and hit her hard in the back of the head with the flat side of her dagger. “OUCH!” Maia yelled in frustration. “What was that for!?”

Torianna snickered. “Pain is the best teacher!” she explained. “Did you see what I did though? You used a thrust, and I decided to counter with a slash even though I’m using a dagger!”

“You could have warned me!” Maia spat back, but Torianna kept smirking. “You can’t learn if you expect everything…” she chided, then assumed a fighting stance. “Try hitting me again!”  
The next couple hours were some of the worst of Maia’s life. It didn’t take long for her to get covered in bruises. Torianna had the same abusive mentality of her father, even if she didn’t outright torture people. Why did Endel have to appoint her as her instructor?

“That’s enough for tonight.” Torianna finally told her. Maia didn’t even thank her for the training, and just slumped onto her sleeping bag after walking back to camp. In the morning she would have to talk to Endel about Torianna’s training methods. At least he appreciated her.


	12. Chapter 12

Lorcan and the others woke up early the next morning and packed up camp as Endel gave orders. “Everything else Ashei assigned us is just odds and ends,” he explained. “We do have one interesting job, though. Apparently there’s Network activity in Kakariko, and Ashei wanted us to investigate.”

“Why would Networkers set up a base there?” Torianna asked. Endel just shrugged in reply. Lorcan knew there was nothing in Kakariko that Network would want, so they must be there on Kazdan’s orders.

“Dad must be taking orders from Kazdan…” Torianna mused. Lorcan nodded in agreement. “What’s your dad’s name, anyway?” Endel asked out of curiosity. Torianna looked away. “I was never supposed to call him anything other than boss, but once I heard him answer to it. It’s Darius.”

Endel was quiet for a moment. “Darius, huh?” he finally answered. “Where have I heard that name…?” Lorcan couldn’t think of a single occasion anyone like Ashei or Telma had used it: to his knowledge, they didn’t know the name or identity of the Network leader for a long time. He tapped Endel on the shoulder and shrugged.

“Yeah, I don’t think any of us heard it from a Scoundrel,” Endel finally replied to Lorcan. “Let’s just finish packing up camp and head for Kakariko.”

After everything was stored away, Endel and Lorcan took the reins while the others climbed in the back. They had a long drive ahead of them, so Lorcan felt a little bad that Endel was stuck with his limited communication.

“So how about Maia, huh?” Endel asked him. Lorcan raised an eyebrow. “I mean, what she did in the desert was amazing! Reckless, sure, but still amazing!” Lorcan nodded and looked away. “What’s the matter?” Endel asked, and he pointed at him then made a motion of swinging a sword.

“Oh, you think I should continue to be her sword instructor?” Endel asked. Lorcan nodded his head. “Well, I want the two girls to grow closer…” Endel admitted. Lorcan didn’t like this idea, shaking his head and making an “x” with his fingers. “Yeah, maybe they just aren’t compatible…” Endel conceded, to which Lorcan made a big nod.

A sly smile crept onto Endel’s face. “I know who Torianna is pretty compatible with, though,” he teased. Lorcan let out a big sigh and turned his head away. “Oh come on, Lorcan!” Endel said, “You guys have been- pardon the cheesy idiom- thick as thieves lately!” Lorcan gave him a look of pure disdain, and Endel laughed.

Admittedly, Lorcan had been growing closer to Torianna, and not just because he was now her guard. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but a lot of her change as a person seemed to be happening because of him. Sure, she was opening up to everyone, but especially to him, and he was likewise being very personal with her.

But he’d never admit any of that to anyone, especially Torianna.

\---

Maia spent the first couple hours of the trip looking down at her feet. Skallin had become even more distant and introverted since they raided Kazdan’s mansion, and she certainly wasn’t going to talk to Torianna. Deprived of options, she just kept her head down and tried to think about rescuing Zelda again.

Eventually Torianna let out a big sigh to get her attention. “Are you ok?” Maia asked, and she glared at her. “I hope you’re ready to fight when we get to Kakariko, because those Networkers aren’t going to let us waltz in.” Torianna said flatly.

Maia gave her a confused look. “Why are you saying that?” she asked, politely as possible. “Because killing a monster is one thing, but taking a human life is another,” Torianna replied. “Have you ever seen a man die?”

A flashback of the castle dungeon came into Maia’s consciousness. The sight of Endel’s blade drawing against her would-be assassin’s neck. The splatter of blood. She suddenly felt ill. “Yeah, you have,” Torianna said, reading her expression. “You still have to get used to it, though.”

“Why do you like to torment me!?” Maia finally burst out, getting even Skallin’s attention. Torianna gave a her a nasty look. “Because you hate what I am!” she spat back. Maia looked at her incredulously.

“You think I’ve forgotten that night in Kakariko?” Torianna asked her. “The way you looked at me like a frightened animal and asked me why I stuck around such horrible people?” Maia looked at her in shock, which Torianna took as a sign to continue. “You know I’m a horrible person but you won’t come out and say it!” she finally concluded.  
It was then that Skallin decided to come to Maia’s defense. “Pardon my interjection, but I believe if Maia was afraid of you, she would not be training with you. If anything, I would say she is trying to give you a chance.”

Torianna looked from Skallin to Maia. “Is that true?” she asked. Maia quietly nodded; it was accurate to say training with Torianna wasn’t fun, but she certainly didn’t think the girl was going to murder her in her sleep anymore. Torianna crossed her arms for a moment and let out a sigh.

“I guess I have been petty,” she reasoned, then extended her hand. “I’ll try to be more friendly from now on.” Maia took her hand and they shook. “And no more giving me bruises during training!” she insisted.

Torianna gave her a mischievous grin. “I’ll keep it to a minimum!” she teased.

After a few more hours they arrived outside Kakariko. Maia and the others dismounted while Endel and Lorcan parked the carriage in a nearby stable. After the horses were taken care of, Endel walked up to Maia.

“How was the ride?” Endel asked. Maia gave him a smile in reply. “Really good! I think I got Torianna to open up to me!” she replied. Hearing that seemed to please Endel. “Great!” he exclaimed. “I was worried you two weren’t getting along. It’s nice to hear that you’ve warmed up to each other!”

Maia gave him another warm smile. It looked like she was really starting to fit in with everyone after all. Especially Endel.

\---

The others followed Endel into Kakariko and stopped at the edge of town. “It looks like the place is unguarded. Probably to give the illusion that it isn’t occupied by Kazdan.” Endel told them. “We better sneak around the perimeter of town though, just to avoid trouble.” The others nodded, and so they climbed up the side of the canyon leading into town and crept along its outskirts.

Looking down, the place seemed pretty empty to Endel, but Lorcan was quick to point something out. Grabbing his shoulder, he drew his attention to a secluded building high on a cliff where a few people seemed to be excavating. “Wonder what they’re up to?” Torianna asked, to which Endel shrugged. “No idea, but we’re gonna find out!” he replied.

Endel and the others warily approached the diggers from above. Thankfully, the men were too preoccupied with their business to notice the thieves approaching them. “We can’t afford drawing the attention of others with a fight...” he whispered to the group. Lorcan pointed to an entrance on the roof they could use, much to Endel’s relief, so they dropped down onto the building and entered it from there.

The building interior was unlike anything Endel would have expected. He suspected some minor digging was going on, but its scale was far greater than a modest excavation. The entire floor of the building had been dug out and replaced with a tunnel headed for Death Mountain.

“How could they be digging such a large tunnel unnoticed?” Maia asked. Endel had no idea, but Skallin seemed to know. “Kazdan must be using monsters and hybrids as labor. I would imagine he is also obscuring the sounds of the digging with magic.” he conjectured.

“Whatever the case, we need to stop him.” Endel replied. “We need to kill everything on our way to the end of this tunnel. Skallin, stay a few dozen paces behind and watch for ambushes.”

Torianna looked concerned. “What if we run into Kazdan or Darius?” she asked. Endel had an answer but didn’t want to say. “I hate to admit it, but we can’t take them on right now. We’ll have to avoid them if necessary.” he told her.

“What if we run into a split in the cave?” Maia asked him. Endel thought for a moment about this. “We’ll split up if we have to, but I’d like to avoid that,” he relented. Lorcan and Torianna looked at each other, then at him and Maia. “Something on your mind?” Endel asked warily.

“I think you and Maia should team up!” Torianna told him. “She wants to show you how she’s improved.” She winked at Endel, which caused him to lose his composure a bit. “F-fine!” he stammered. “But it’s purely for practical reasons!” Torianna giggled but didn’t say anything else.

They explored the cavern in pairs, with Skallin taking up the rear. It didn’t take long for the heat to hit them. “I know it’s hot, but shouldn’t we be dead right now?” Torianna asked. “More of Kazdan’s magic,” Skallin explained, “it is making this cave hospitable for others.”

They hadn’t encountered any monsters or hybrids yet, but soon they did run into a fork in the cave. “I suspect one of these roads will take us to Kazdan...” Skallin guessed. “The other will lead to whatever he is searching for here.”

“If that’s the case, we don’t want to send Torianna back into her father’s hands.” Endel reasoned. “Any idea which of these caves leads to Kazdan and Darius?” Skallin thought for a moment, then pointed to the narrower cave. “The tighter passage suggests it was dug with minimal concern for discovery,” he explained. “Therefore, it is more likely that this tunnel leads to an administrative area.”

“Sounds good to me.” Endel concluded. “Torianna and Lorcan, take the wider passage. I’ll take Maia and Skallin down this narrow one.” The two nodded and took the wide passage while Endel and the rest started down the narrow one.

After a good deal of walking, they started to hear the clashing of steel on stone. The three of them would have to proceed with caution now, as they could easily get ambushed from behind. Skallin stayed behind at a choke-point in the tunnel to make sure this didn’t happen.

Gradually, the tunnel began to widen out dramatically. Seeing this and considering the sound of mining nearby, Endel realized they were probably in the excavation tunnel after all. “If this is the tunnel for digging…” he reasoned, “...then Torianna and Lorcan are headed for Darius and Kazdan! This isn’t good.” Maia looked at him with concern. “Do we turn back and stop them?” she asked, but Endel shook his head. “Too late. We have to stick with the plan. Torianna is smart, she won’t get caught.”

As they came upon the diggers, they were relieved to see nothing but bokoblins. They were easy to take out quietly, even for Maia, and it didn’t take long for them to reach the end of the tunnel. But what they found there surprised even Endel.

The place looked like a makeshift prison. Hiding behind a boulder, Endel and Maia could count at least a dozen cages filled with creatures they’d never seen before. The strange people wore thick cloaks with hoods and had most of their features obscured, but their eyes glowed brightly in the darkness. 

The cages were guarded by bokoblins, and in charge of them was another hybrid. This one seemed a step up from its buddies, as it was mostly human but had scaly skin and glowing red eyes. Endel worried that Kazdan was starting to perfect the hybridization process, given how streamlined this one was.

“We no longer need to keep these wretched things.” The thing snarled to its underlings. “Kill them all. I have to make a report to Kazdan about our findings.” Endel and Maia tried to huddle in a corner as the hybrid walked by and were thankfully unnoticed.

“Those poor things are going to be killed!” Maia said. Endel smiled at her reassuringly. “In that case, how about we rescue them?” he asked her, and together they snuck up on the closest cage. They were able to take out its guards with relative ease, but then their buddies at the other cages noticed their intrusion. Soon it was a proper fight.

Wiping out the bokoblins wasn’t too tough, as Maia was a lot better at fighting now. In fact, Endel thought her thrusts were more suited for the narrow quarters than his slashing. As they fought, the creatures in the cages cheered them on in a series of saucy remarks that made even Endel blush. What were these odd creatures?

Searching the corpses, Maia found the keys to the cages and opened the first one up. The creatures inside showed their thanks in ways that were curt at best and vulgar at worst, some not even saying anything at all. However, what really surprised Endel was when the people made for the nearest lava flow and jumped right in, terrifying Maia until they resurfaced unharmed.

Deciding he needed answers, Endel grabbed one of the robed enigmas and got a nasty remark in reply. “Just a second!” Endel said. “Who are you people, and why are you here?”

“Cold and ticked off is what I am!” the creature replied bluntly. “But you can call me a Subrosian! Those ugly creeps said they wanted us for our demon blood! Something about making demons I think, but I don’t care about that. Demons haven’t lived in Subrosia for thousands of years!”

“Subrosia? I’ve never heard of that place.” Maia interjected. The Subrosian looked at her suspiciously. “That’s because you’re a dumb surface dweller! We keep to ourselves lady!” he told her savagely. Endel gave him a nasty glare. “Alright, alright, so why do you have demon blood in the first place?” he asked.

“Because we were made by a demon, duh!” the Subrosian told him bluntly. “Our patriarch is the demon lord Zurin, he made us to live in the ruins of the demon city. We keep the underworld churning. You’re welcome!”

Endel really didn’t like these rude people, but he only had one more question for them. “Why would a demon lord make a new species?” he asked. The Subrosian only shrugged. “I have to get back to dance lessons, so if you’ll excuse me…” he ran off, then hopped into a nearby pool of lava.

“That was… interesting,” Maia remarked, trying to keep her usual composure. Yeah, that was one word for it. Subrosians? Zurin? Demon city? What exactly was going on here?

\---

Torianna and Lorcan crept along the wide tunnel, but there was little to hide behind. Not that it mattered when the passage was empty, but some insurance would be nice. Shouldn’t there be more digging and working in the main tunnel?

It was getting boring, so Torianna decided to rib Lorcan a bit. “So… what do you think of Endel and Maia?” she asked, to which Lorcan only gave her a confused look. “What? You saw how he acted back there when I teased him! That boy is falling for her, and she’s got the hots for him too!” Lorcan swatted at her playfully to get her to stop. “You know I’m right…” she teased him.

Then Lorcan gave her a look she didn’t understand. He almost looked like he was thinking something he knew would get her goat, but also something he wanted to confess? Pointing to himself, then to her, he made a wink almost identical to the one she’d given Endel.

Torianna gave him a look of disgust when she realized his implications. “You and me? Gross!” she shot the idea down. “Don’t think you can woo me just because you’re my guard!” Lorcan rolled his eyes sarcastically.

They had walked for a few minutes, but soon heard the murmuring of voices. Still no sound of laborers though. That could only mean one thing; they’d gone down the administrative tunnel. That meant the voices had to be…

“The injection is ready. We just need a test subject.” Kazdan said. Torianna knew he was speaking to her father. “She should be here any moment. Our scouts saw her enter Kakariko earlier.” Darius replied. Were they talking about her?

Torianna and Lorcan crept closer to a turn in the tunnel. They could hear Kazdan working away at something now. “Time is of the essence,” he reminded Darius, to which the other man gave a dismissive ‘hmph’. “These things can’t be rushed. And don’t forget we’re doing you a favor here…” Darius lectured him.

“I don’t need you specifically.” Kazdan dismissed him. “Oh, but you do!” Darius warned. “You need disciplined, organized agents for capturing test subjects. You need my skills at managing criminal activity in Hyrule so you can destabilize the kingdom. You need my best men as candidates for your demon army. And most of all, you need my daughter to be your prototype for this injection.”

Torianna felt her entire body go numb. She forced herself to keep listening.

“We could go with the original plan of using Jaydon.” Kazdan pointed out. “Not an option,” Darius said dismissively. “I wanted to use the least promising of my children when we formed this plan years ago. True, I did originally think that would be Jaydon, but the disgusting softness Torianna has shown proves her weakness. We use her to see if the serum works, then kill her.”

Lorcan had to grab Torianna to stop her from rushing into the room. She could feel the blood rushing in her head from the utter monstrosity of her father’s words. He picked her up and carried her on his back until they reached the fork again.

Torianna’s father had never shown her much love. He’d been distant, brutal, and unforgiving to both her and Jaydon, but to think that they’d been competing in his mind this whole time… and that the loser would be thrown away like a lab rat!

She wanted to scream. Her urge to yell and go charging back toward her father was almost too much, but Lorcan put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. She couldn’t hold it in any longer though, and began to yell curses at her father down the long tunnel. She cursed and screamed until her voice was hoarse. Then the tears came.

“I was nothing but an asset to him!” She hollered. Lorcan stood nearby, dumbstruck. “Sit down, you big mute idiot!” she spat at him. He didn’t even get angry, just sat down next to her. “I knew he was a terrible man!” she yelled into the tunnel wall. “I knew it! And I still tried to be his daughter! But no, he never cared about me! I was the queen in his game with Kazdan, then a pawn to be thrown away!”

Lorcan looked at Torianna with a frown, but it wasn’t made in anger. He was showing sympathy. The softness of his sad expression sapped the fury out of her, and she lowered her head to just let the tears fall on the ground. He put his arm around her, and she allowed it.

“Big mute idiot…” Torianna muttered.

They sat down for a moment, but soon Lorcan began to grow anxious. Torianna knew he was getting tired of sitting there, especially when they were in enemy territory. She looked at him to confirm his feelings, but he was giving her an expression that she couldn’t read. And she was getting pretty good at reading him.

“Stop looking at me like that!” Torianna snapped, and Lorcan gave her a confused frown. The sound of footsteps put their conversation on pause, and both of them huddled into a corner while drawing their weapons. A sigh of relief escaped Torianna when Endel, Maia, and Skallin came into view.

“You won’t believe what’s going on here!” Endel said to them, then explained the situation. Torianna was amazed that Endel was so oblivious to her turmoil, but after hearing his report was just as confused as Maia. “Ok, but who’s Zurin? And why would he make those Subrosians?” she asked. “Your guess is as good as mine.” Endel replied. “What did you guys find?”

Torianna looked away and clenched her fists. “Darius is turning Network into an army of demon lords.” she told him darkly. Endel looked at her with shock. “They must have used the Subrosians and Zelda’s powers to pull it off.” he mused, and Torianna nodded. “They just need to test the serum on someone,” she told him, leaving out that she was the test subject.

Everyone stopped when a sound like a balloon being filled came from the direction of the entrance. Torianna saw something, then tackled Endel to the ground before a huge fireball shot past where he’d been standing. The source of the attack stepped forward.

This hybrid was mostly covered in scales, but its skin was pale and its eyes glowed brightly. It was probably the one Endel mentioned seeing in the tunnels. “So you discovered the trap, but can’t avoid it,” the hybrid hissed, “nonetheless, I don’t intend to underestimate you.”

The monstrosity let out a loud shriek that staggered even Skallin, then lunged at Torianna. She slashed at its hide, but its tough scales were too much for her dagger. She braced for an attack, but instead the hybrid wrapped its arm around her and pinned her own arms to her sides. She was caught!

Torianna’s friends scrambled as a volley of fireballs came from the entrance tunnel. More scaly hybrids stepped forward (Torianna guessed they were part dodongo) and brandished their claws. They all backed into a corner as the hybrids came from all sides to finish them off. Lorcan, however, seemed to have noticed something.

Looking up, Lorcan pulled on something on the ceiling and a trapdoor opened up. The hybrids growled angrily and leapt forward, but Endel stabbed one in the head with his sword and the others backed off. Skallin ushered Maia and Lorcan up the trapdoor before following them.

“Go! I can handle this!” Torianna shouted to Endel, but he stood firm. “I’m not leaving you!” he said back, causing her to lose her temper. “I told you to go, damn it!” she hollered, and he finally relented. Climbing up the trapdoor, the other hybrids followed him, leaving her with the one in whose arms she was being held.

The hybrid dropped her to the ground, then gripped her arm tightly while its other hand held a claw to her neck. “You’ll be reunited with your father soon, I promise,” it told her, but she already had a plan of escape.

“Hang on, there’s a rock in my shoe,” she said innocently. The hybrid let out a sigh but allowed her to reach for her boot. With incredible speed, she drew the knife there and plunged it into the throat of the hybrid, killing it swiftly. It was almost too easy.

The sound of running feet told her that she didn’t have time to rest, and they were coming from the trapdoor, so there was no going that way. Improvising, Torianna ran for the entrance they’d come from and hoped there wouldn’t be an ambush. She could feel her lungs burning now, but pushed herself onward and out the tunnel. There wasn’t anyone in the abandoned building when she got there, but she didn’t want to waste time, so she barged through the door and knocked it off its hinges.

Two men yelled and drew their swords when she tore through the door, but she didn’t stop to fight them. Instead, she jumped off the porch and slid down to the man road through town. There was a stable with horses nearby, and although Ashei had told them not to steal anymore, this was an emergency. Cutting the rope tying a black colt to its pen, she jumped onto it and spurred it on. She wasted no time in jumping the fence toward Hyrule Field and the castle.

\---

Endel was running as fast as he could, but the other hybrids were hot in pursuit. The tunnel was sloping upwards, and although the three of them were struggling to climb, their pursuers were bolting up the hill with relative ease. They needed to be stopped before the gap was closed.

Running by a barrel of explosives, Endel had an idea. Grabbing a stick and pulling out his twine and flint, he tied the explosive to the hilt of his sword and lit it. Stopping, he turned around and chucked the sword like a spear at the closest hybrid. It was apparently expecting a rock or blunt object that would bounce off its scales, but when it saw the blade it was too late.

The sword embedded in the first hybrid’s chest, then exploded in a huge blast that took out the others. Even better, the ceiling collapsed over their bodies, ensuring that no more could pursue them. Everyone else stopped now, admiring their good fortune. Sure, it had cost Endel his sword, but he could always get another.

Everyone continued up the tunnel until they reached an exit (apparently at some point the tunnel ran into a natural cave), putting them a stone’s throw from Death Mountain. “We’ll set up camp for the night here. I can’t even walk another dozen paces, and I doubt any of you can either.” he told them. Lorcan looked at him with shock and anger.

“I can’t argue right now, Lorcan,” Endel told him, “Torianna is fine anyway, I heard her kill the other hybrid.” Lorcan seemed assured by this, or at least too tired to argue back, and started to lay out his bed.

Wanting to get some more answers, Endel pulled Skallin aside for a moment. “So, does any of what that Subrosian said ring any bells for you?” he asked.

“It does not,” Skallin admitted. “I am just as confused about this ‘Zurin,’ or why he would make a species so foul, as you are. I suspect Kazdan only wanted them for their blood.”

“Yeah, I don’t think Kazdan is the kind of guy to throw people in cages to learn more about their weird culture.” Endel responded. Suddenly, his mind turned back to the odd dreams. Those had been from the perspective of a demon lord. The Subrosians had called Zurin a demon lord too. Maybe there was a connection?

Skallin cocked his head at Endel. “Is something amiss?” he asked, but Endel shook his head. “It’s nothing…” he said dismissively, then returned to making his bed.

Endel didn’t have any odd dreams that night, but when he woke up a nagging feeling in his gut told him they needed to return to Castle Town. When he told the others, they seemed unusually agreeable about doing so. “Fate is calling us toward our destiny with Kazdan,” Skallin exclaimed, but Endel scoffed at that notion.

Surely it was just intuition?


	13. Chapter 13

Torianna had camped for the night in the abandoned gateway to Eldin Bridge, then made the rest of the trip that morning. As she approached Castle Town, dark clouds came into view that obscured her vision. Kazdan had probably left Kakariko after getting what he needed, and was ready to turn Network into his personal demon lord army.

Coming to a stop just outside the town gates, she let her stolen horse go and walked into town on foot. A strange haze blanketed the town, and it looked like most people were either inside or elsewhere.

The sound of flesh dragging on stone caught Torianna’s attention. Slipping into an alleyway, she watched from behind a wooden barrel as a horribly deformed hybrid dragged its disfigured arms past her. What the hell was going on here!?

It was clear the city streets were dangerous, so Torianna climbed a house and jumped from roof to roof toward Telma’s bar. She didn’t dare sneak into Hyrule Castle alone; first she needed to find her friends, and they’d probably head to the tavern too. She just hoped they didn’t try to fight their way into town.

After hopping from one roof to the other, Torianna dropped onto the lowered square in front of Telma’s bar. She peered inside expecting the leader of the Scoundrels of Virtue, but instead only saw Ashei and a few agents. Either everyone else was scattered around town, or they’d been captured or killed. Torianna had a nasty feeling it was the latter.

Knocking on the door, Torianna was greeted by a gruff summons from Ashei. She opened the door to find her suspicions from window peering were confirmed: there were only a half dozen Scoundrels in the room, not including Ashei and herself. “Where’ve you been?” her boss asked bluntly. “And where’s your buddies?” Torianna explained that they’d been separated during a mission, and that Endel and the others should be here soon.

“Well, they probably won’t want to sneak past all the freaks like you did,” Ashei reasoned. “And there’s no point in staying here, anyway. We’ll move back to base and meet them somewhere else.”

Pulling out her tracking stone, Ashei closed her eyes and focused on something. Torianna figured this was how Ashei and Telma’s stones worked, giving them clairvoyance on where their members were. The deputy leader opened her eyes, seemingly assured of where Endel and her friends were headed.

“They’ve reached the town gates and took a secret entrance to base. Let’s go welcome them home, yeah?” Torianna smiled at Ashei’s suggestion. Thank goodness, her friends were ok.

\---

Endel got everyone up before sunrise and marched them toward Kakariko. He didn’t intend to stop there for long, just inform the locals of the Network presence in town and get their carriage back. They’d gotten little sleep last night, and the trek over the jagged foothills was miserable, but thankfully it was only a couple miles to town.

Stopping by to talk to Renado, they made haste toward their carriage and loaded up to return to Castle Town. Maia shot Endel a concerned look as they took the reins, but he didn’t have time to have a heart-to-heart. Clouds were looming over Hyrule Castle, and he didn’t like the look of them.

Eventually Maia tapped Endel on the shoulder, desperate to get his attention. “This is it, you know,” she ruminated aloud. “We’re going to rescue the princess and kill Kazdan, or he’ll kill us first.” Surprised by her tone, Endel looked her in the eye. “You seem awfully certain.” he told her, to which she nodded her head.

“This is the day of reckoning, I can feel it…” she muttered. Endel had to admit her tone unsettled him.

Endel tried to lighten the mood a couple times, but between a detached darknut, a mute guardsman, and a somber handmaid, he had a pretty bad audience. Eventually he gave up, and each of them retreated to their own thoughts as they approached the city gates.

“We can’t risk entering the city with Kazdan in control of the guard.” Endel informed them as they arrived. Lorcan seemed to have an idea, and pointed to a worn drain leading into the sewers. “Not bad, Lorcan. It may be dangerous down there, but it’s our best option.” Endel said. “Let’s move out!”

Skallin wrenched the bars of the drain open, and they followed him into the sewers. It wasn’t exactly pleasant down there, but Endel at least knew how to get to the Scoundrels of Virtue base. However, not long after arriving it became clear to him that they weren’t alone.

At first the group was worried that some lowlife was stalking them from their home in the sewers. Endel and the others soon recognized the sound of heavy armor, though, and feared castle guardsmen were trying to intercept them. “Blades ready. No telling what Kazdan has done to the city guard…” Endel warned, and everyone drew their weapons. The clinking of armor nearby became louder and louder, until…

Suddenly a familiar voice cried out. “Is that how you greet your long lost friend!?” Torianna reprimanded them sarcastically from the darkness, and everyone relaxed. Lorcan ran forward, a torch in hand to illuminate the face of his friend. There was a moment of awkward silence between them before Endel stepped forward. “Glad to see you safe!” he told her.

“I suppose the feeling is mutual!” Torianna teased, flipping her hair behind her ears. Endel was actually glad to finally have someone less gloomy around.

Ashei stepped between them. “I hate to break up the reunion, but we have a crisis to fix, yeah?” she told the group. “Follow me back to base and we’ll debrief.”

\---

Lorcan reclined against a wall and crossed his hands as Endel discussed the last few days with Ashei. “So, the good news is Kazdan doesn’t have bulblins. The bad news is… he has everything he needs for an army of demon lords. He just needs to test the transformation serum.” he told her. “Kazdan had Network abduct guardsmen and turn them into hybrids while you were away,” she informed them. “Now they’re roaming the streets and killing anyone they see. Network doesn’t have Kazdan’s touch for making freaks, but they compensate with numbers. The Scoundrels of Virtue were mostly captured at the castle, Telma included, so we don’t have the numbers to fight them. It’s everything we can do to keep people indoors, so uh, if you think you’re up for assaulting the castle that would be great.”

Torianna stepped forward. “That’s why we’re here,” she told Ashei, “to put a dagger in Kazdan’s face!”

Lorcan grinned; Torianna was raring for a fight now. He could feel his own spirits rising again. “Glad you’re showing enthusiasm,” Ashei replied, “So how’s about we make a plan?” Lorcan stepped forward, looking at the map of Hyrule Castle on the table. Pointing to the dungeon, he motioned to his wrists and made a clicking noise.

“Yeah, we’ll need to rescue Telma and the others before we uh, ‘take care’ of Kazdan.” Ashei replied. “They’re in the dungeon, which I’d bet is guarded, so if we can sneak in, free them, and get their weapons, we can take the dungeon and move our way up the castle!”

“We’ll need to create a diversion, otherwise we’re gonna have every hybrid in Castle Town bearing down on us.” Endel interjected. Ashei nodded in agreement. “I’ll rally the boys and draw most of the hybrids into the courtyard. But you’ll have to move fast so we don’t get wiped out!”

Torianna grinned. “We’ll have reinforcements from the dungeon headed your way before you even break a sweat!” she assured Ashei. Their commander smiled and dismissed them to head for the battlefield. It was time to take the fight to Kazdan!

\---

As they approached the castle, Torianna twirled her daggers in her hands. This shouldn’t be exciting, having to go into a castle and kill things that were once human, but the anticipation of it all was delicious- and it was nice to have to fight for something in the chaos of this city.

She looked to Endel, and the boy had a look of someone who was just going with the flow. Why wasn’t he excited to kill someone he’d been eager to off for weeks now? The old Endel would have loved to get his way, but now he seemed so… uncertain. That girl was really having an effect on him, and suddenly Torianna felt her old resentment of Maia welling up again. She’d turned him into a sopping idiot for sure, though there was the tiniest amount of pride in Torianna’s heart for his growth as a person.

Whatever. As long as Endel could be counted on to slice up hybrids, she wasn’t going to openly complain.

Sensing Torianna’s disconnection from the task at hand, Lorcan poked her gently and gave her a smile. Torianna let out a sarcastic laugh. “What’s up, big softie? Worried about me?” she teased. He gave her a sarcastic eye roll in reply, and she jabbed him playfully in the ribs, eliciting a yelp from him.

“Shh!” Endel warned. “We’re coming up on our first hybrids! Ashei will make a scene in the courtyard, but it’s our job to sneak into the dungeon!” Sure enough, Ashei’s group marched ahead and started hollering and rattling their weapons, getting the attention of every hybrid in the courtyard. The enemy wasn’t smart enough to resist the bait, and swarmed the courtyard in droves. They fought sloppy compared to the Scoundrels, but they had numbers on their side.

Torianna and the others snuck around the perimeter of the fight, then took an exterior door to the dungeons. It was quieter in the castle, but the groans and shuffling of hybrids could be heard below.

“There’s bound to be more ahead…” Endel whispered. “We should eliminate them as we move.”

“Absolutely not!” Maia protested. “They used to be guardsmen! If we avoid them and kill Kazdan, they might go back to normal!”

Torianna had to admit it was a fair point, but the girl’s sentimentality was grossly misplaced. The incompetence of the castle guard was what allowed Kazdan to seize power in the first place, and they were paying the price by being turned into hybrids. Still, Endel would probably side with his best pal.

“Ok, we’ll try to sneak by,” Endel relented (Torianna groaned quietly). “Skallin, take up the rear and let us know if there’s an ambush.” Skallin nodded and moved to the back.

They descended into the dungeons, where they found a fog made it much harder to see than before Kazdan’s takeover. “I think I hear something dragging a heavy object…” Maia whispered, to which the others quietly agreed. Torianna held her daggers at the ready in case of an ambush. Skallin remained quiet, though he probably couldn’t see anything in this haze anyway.

“I sense a presence.” Skallin confirmed, looking in their direction. Torianna thought she heard something swishing in the air. “The prisoners must be near-”

“Everyone get down!” Endel suddenly hollered, and Torianna ducked just as a huge iron mass went soaring past her. A chain attached to it stopped the ball and brought it to the ground with a crash. Something let out a garbled curse and began dragging the ball back.

Torianna didn’t waste any time. “Charge it!” She shouted, but the darkhammer hybrid was quick. The flail started rapidly dragging back toward its owner, but Endel seemed to have an idea. Grabbing the ball, he pulled with all his might in a tug-of-war with the hybrid. Thankfully it wasn’t too strong, and there was a stalemate between it and Endel as Torianna circled it and slashed its backside.

Three things happened in rapid succession. The darkhammer hybrid let out a shriek and dropped the flail, crumpling over dead. Endel lost his footing and got pinned under the iron ball. Then the floor beneath him gave way, and he plunged into darkness.

Acting fast, Torianna and Maia reached out for him, but they only managed to catch the chain of the flail. Pulling with all their might, they hauled it up to find that Endel hadn’t managed to grab it as he fell. He was gone.

“ENDEL!!” Maia screamed into the abyss. “ENDEL!!” There was no answer. Suddenly Lorcan was there, grabbing the girls away as more of the stone floor collapsed into the darkness below. Torianna stood there, dumbfounded.

Endel was dead.


	14. Chapter 14

Maia struggled to break free from Lorcan’s grasp, but he wouldn’t let go. She screamed for Endel, as if it would bring him back, but there was nothing to be done.  
Endel was gone. Forever. 

She had never known an anger like the kind she was feeling now. It boiled her mind, seethed through every vein in her body. It wasn’t directed at anything, just filled her as a formless mass of outrage that howled into the dark pit that had taken her closest friend.

Torianna was trying to say something to Maia, but she couldn’t hear it. Somehow, she’d lost the ability to hear anything but the blood rushing in her head. Endel was dead… dead… gone forever… what did anything else matter? What did anything else in this terrible world matter!?

Suddenly she was shaken wildly by Torianna, knocking her back to her senses. “Listen to me!” the other girl yelled. “I am NOT going to die here because you lost your boyfriend and don’t want to go on! Get on your feet and finish the damn mission!”

Maia lost it. Tears flowed down her face in a fit of hysteria. “We have to save him! We have to!” she sobbed. Torianna squeezed her eyes shut, let out a deep breath, and looked at Maia with more compassion. “No. I’m sorry Maia, but we have to keep moving. Endel is just missing in action, he’ll catch back up with us when he can.”

Even though it was an obvious lie, Maia held onto the hope Torianna had given her. It was all she had right now; Torianna wasn’t going to get any nicer than this, Lorcan wasn’t going to console her with words, and Skallin was no good at these situations. She wiped away the tears and held her head up.

“Let’s just finish this.” Maia said darkly. Bitter hatred would keep her going, if nothing else. Torianna nodded, and led the group through the dungeons in a run.

It would be foolish to call for help in enemy territory, so they had to rely on their eyes and ears to find any prisoners. Most of the cells contained guardsmen in various states of hybridization, but suddenly a voice called for help that raised Maia’s spirits. It was Telma.

“Ain’t y’all a sight for sore eyes!” she exclaimed. She and several dozen more Scoundrels of Virtue were locked in several cages. “You’ll find the keys on the jailer- speak of the devil!” There was a loud roar as two lizalfos hybrids bore down on them. Maia didn’t even care about sparing them, and helped the others cut them down with ease. Reaching onto one’s belt, she tore off a ring of keys and started testing them on the locks.

“You’re missing one… where’d Endel run off to?” Telma asked. Maia stopped for a moment in panic, not wanting to think about that right now, but Torianna covered for her. “We lost sight of him, but he’ll catch up with us.” she explained. Telma didn’t ask any further, and Maia went back to finding the right key.

Soon enough one of the keys fit into the lock and turned, opening the door. The Scoundrels stormed out, looking for weapons, while Torianna informed Telma of Ashei’s plan. “We’d better get going and even the odds, huh? You kids better get to Zelda, you hear?” Telma replied, then looked to Maia. “Especially you!” she added with a wink, then directed her Scoundrels to the exit.

As they exited the dungeon to the sounds of fighting, Skallin and Lorcan began to look for a way up the castle. “I suspect that Kazdan will keep most of his forces inside the keep,” Skallin concluded. Torianna nodded in agreement. “See any alternatives to the inside stairway, forest boy?” she asked Lorcan, who peered up the side of the castle. Something caught his eye, and Maia followed his gaze to see Princess Zelda on a balcony.

“Caught in her own castle…” Torianna muttered. “Guess the safest way up is to climb.” She directed them toward a tree that had fallen against the castle and sent a giant crack up the wall. Maia didn’t like the idea of climbing the castle, but what did she have to lose?

Torianna went first, working her way up the tree and then up the crack. Odd stones and chips in the wall gave her plenty of places to climb. Maia was, for once, thankful for the shoddy construction of the castle as she followed their leader up the wall.

After a bit of climbing, a new problem presented itself when an arrow bounced off the wall not far from Lorcan. Maia looked behind her to see bulblin archers on makeshift ramparts firing at them. “Goddess! What do we do?” she pleaded to Torianna, who looked at Lorcan. The boy made a zigzag motion with his hands, indicating they should split up and feint. Maia cried out as another arrow flew by her, then followed her orders.

Splitting up and moving erratically made it harder for the archers to hit them, but they needed to get off the wall. Skallin got their attention as he lunged for the nearest balcony, then pulled out his sword and started swatting away arrows. Lorcan followed him and tried to get the attention of the archers, but Torianna wasn’t so lucky. An arrow caught her in the arm.

For a second Maia thought Torianna had been injured, but it turned out the arrow had only punctured the jacket below her flesh and embedded into the wall. Unfortunately, her arm was stuck in place, preventing her and Maia from joining the others. “Do something!” Maia pleaded, but Torianna gave her an angry glare. “Shut. Up!” she shouted, then tore her arm out of the jacket entirely, leaving it pinned to the wall. Shedding the article completely, she leapt for the balcony, leaving Maia alone. The archers were sure to focus on her now, so she made a quick maneuver for the balcony and joined her friends just as several arrows struck the place she’d just been.

Stepping inside, Torianna led them up the turret until the groaning of hybrids caught their attention. Hiding behind suits of armor, everyone panicked as torchlight began to illuminate the walls. It was only a matter of time until they were caught.

A glimmer caught Maia’s eye, and she saw Torianna holding a copper coin. With a toss, she sent it whizzing past the hybrids until it hit a suit of armor back up the stairs. The guards, none too intelligent, went rushing after the noise, leaving Maia and her friends alone. Lorcan smiled and nodded in respect at Torianna, who gave him a smirk in reply. Maia wished Endel had been here to make a wisecrack, but she tried not to think about that.

Maia and the others slipped into an empty room further up the stairway, then waited for the hybrids to pass before continuing their climb. The place was scarcely guarded despite Skallin’s expectations… had their enemy really been so foolish as to rush the opposing Scoundrels? Maia got her answer when they entered the big doors to Zelda’s room and found Kazdan facing them, hand on his chin.

“I commend you for working so hard to fall into my trap!” he congratulated them. Lorcan drew his sword and charged, but made it only a few steps before Kazdan’s spell had him convulsing on the ground. “Trap?” Maia asked, and Kazdan laughed. “Did you really think I would send all my forces out to fight your friends for no reason?” he asked. “Of course, I intend for them to win, but more importantly, I needed to make sure you had an easy time getting here so I could have my test subjects!”

Maia’s stomach crawled as she looked to Torianna. They’d given Kazdan exactly what he needed to complete his demon lord army! “Oh, but I no longer intend to use the serum on just Torianna…” Kazdan continued. “All of you get the chance to be demon lords now!”

“We know your disgusting swill only works on my dad’s family!” Torianna shot back, but Kazdan didn’t seem to care. “Ah yes, most of you will die horribly when your bodies reject the serum. But that’s none of my concern.” he said indifferently. “I just want you all to perish, as painfully as possible!” The man let out a horrible cackle as Maia’s blood ran cold. They’d failed… Endel had died for nothing, and soon they would join him.

\---

Endel fell into the blackness, the relative light of the dungeon shrinking away. His friends had managed to grab the chain of the darkhammer hybrid’s flail, but he was far beyond the reach of their hands. His stomach lurched and he screamed as the darkness of the pit consumed him until his head collided with the wall. The last light of the dungeon above went out.

When Endel woke, he was in complete darkness. Thinking he was dead, fear started to take his body until he realized his blood was flowing and he was breathing. Feeling around, the texture of rope netting came to his fingers, with sand beneath that. The net must have broken his fall, but who had put it there?

Feeling further, Endel noticed there were walls on both sides close to him, so he must be in yet another cave. Why was it always caves these days, with walls that demanded progression or retreat? In any case, this one was dry and cool, so he probably didn’t have to worry about any natural hazards, though monsters could be a problem.

Speaking of which, the flicker of a faraway flame had caught his attention. Someone (or something) was making its way through the cave, possibly towards him. Endel reached for his sword before remembering he didn’t have one. There wasn’t anywhere to hide, either. He felt the instinct to run, but a strange feeling comforted him and told him to stay. The light was approaching faster.

Soon Endel could see that the light came from a torch. Holding it was a strange figure covered in a patchwork of robes, scarves, and hoods. Seeing the person hunched over and hobbling told Endel he had nothing to fear, and so he walked toward the light. The enigmatic figure halted and let him approach.

“Greetings!” the mysterious figure welcomed him. It spoke in a bizarre manner, as if multiple voices were talking in perfect harmony. “It is well that you have found this place. Destiny has brought you to me, and to the Graveyard, at last.”

“Destiny? Graveyard? What are you talking about? And who are you?” Endel threw a string of questions at the strange person, but it held up its hand. “Your questions will be answered in good time, but if you wish to help your friends, you must follow me.” it told him.

Walking back the way it came, the odd figure paused for a moment. “Ah, but you must feel anxious not having a name for me. Suffice to say, you can call me The Advisor.”

“That’s a rather unusual name,” Endel told The Advisor, to which it nodded. “Names are a curious thing. They are the product of what others call us as much as what we call ourselves.” it responded. “I am simply adapting to the former.”

As they reached a wide point in the cave, Endel felt like he had more questions than answers, but those questions evaporated when he nearly walked into a slab of stone sticking out of the ground. “That would be a gravestone,” The Advisor informed him. “There are hundreds of them down here, hence the name I used earlier.”

“Yeah, you called it ‘the Graveyard,’ I’m familiar with them,” Endel quipped. The Advisor let out a strange chuckle. “I have not encountered humor for a long time. I had forgotten its pleasant sting.”

“How long, exactly?” Endel asked, causing The Advisor to turn its head slightly in his direction. “Longer than I can count,” it replied cryptically. He didn’t bother asking the figure’s age.

They stopped at a gravestone that looked even older than The Advisor. “A question for you, then I will give some answers,” it told Endel. “Why do you think you are here?”

It was a preposterous question if Endel had ever heard one. “Why am I here? Because I fell through a hole in the castle dungeon.” he responded bluntly. The Advisor stuck its palm into its dark hood, seemingly rubbing its head. “No, my boy… I mean, why do you think you’ve found yourself in this situation? Think rhetorically!” it chided him.

Endel tried to think deeper this time. Why was he here? Yeah, he’d fallen down a hole, but why did he find himself in such a bizarre situation he’d done nothing to earn? Wait… nothing to earn? Was this enigma implying he’d gotten here because something else wanted it to happen?

“Are you implying that some sort of fate brought me to you?” Endel asked. The Advisor nodded in reply, and Endel had to admit he wasn’t pleased. “Fate wants nothing to do with me, if it even exists.”

“You don’t believe in fate?” The Advisor questioned him enigmatically.

“I don’t believe in anything that gives me the crappy life I’ve had.” Endel told him.

“You may not like the life fate has given you, but that doesn’t disprove its existence.” The Advisor replied. “Fate is fickle, but I can assure you it is very real.”

“Ok, we’ll assume it’s real,” Endel relented. “Why would it dump me in a sorry existence then drag me into some divine mission all of a sudden?”

The Advisor shrugged. “I cannot answer that question, only tell you that many here lived wretched lives as you do, yet embraced their destinies anyway.”

Endel was starting to get tired of this. They were getting nowhere. “Just because someone else chose to butter up the gods doesn’t mean I have to take the rope they’ve thrown me.”

“Ah, but why wouldn’t you? Surely you have something great to gain by following in their footsteps?” The Advisor reasoned. Endel was about to object, but then he started to think about what this person was saying. Going down the path he’d taken, a path he had to admit wasn’t walked alone, had gotten him friends, adventure, a purpose in life… a lot of things, really. Maia had taught him to place his destiny in another’s hands, and Skallin had taught him what happens when you let something bigger than yourself guide your decisions. He’d slowly integrated these lessons and gifts into his outlook on life, and now The Advisor was tying it up all too perfectly.

“...ok, maybe you make a good point.” Endel finally relented. “So what do I do now?” he couldn’t see The Advisor’s face, but he had a feeling it was smiling. “Now you are ready to hear the call of destiny.” it told him. “What follows thereafter will only depend upon your willingness to listen.”

The Advisor turned to the grave they’d stopped in front of and, surprisingly, began to push it back. Endel wasn’t to the point of objecting to stealing from the dead, but a gravetender robbing his own graves seemed absurd. He held his questions, though, and let it continue to move the grave back. Reaching inside, it brought out a strange bow.

Unlike the wooden bows Endel had used in the Scoundrels of Virtue, this one was made almost entirely of metal. It had the structure of a recurve bow, but its limbs seemed to be made of hundreds of intricate metal parts built in a way that he couldn’t even comprehend. Rather than being nocked, the bowstring traveled into the nocking tips, through the limbs, and was held taut by the bow’s inner mechanisms.

The Advisor held the bow up and aimed to the sky, then pulled the bowstring. The clockwork pieces of the bow 'bent' the limbs and created beautifully efficient tension that allowed an arrow to travel far without pulling the bowstring significantly back.

“This is a Sheikah sniper’s bow, one of the finest ever crafted,” The Advisor explained. “It’s compound pulleys can fire an arrow up to a hundred yards. Those faithful to the gods can also use it to fire arrows of light, or so the legends go…” Endel gave The Advisor a confused look; why was he being entrusted with a weapon to test his faith like this? And why was he given a type of weapon he’d barely ever used?

“Can’t I have a sword, or something?” Endel asked, but The Advisor shook his head. “None of the other weapons here can use light magic, and you will need that power to defeat Kazdan.”

“Uh, I never mentioned Kazdan. How do you know him?” Endel asked. He saw something glint deep within The Advisor’s hoods that gave him the slightest unease. “Suffice to say I am good at staying informed.” it told him. Endel suspected he wouldn’t get a better answer than that, so he dropped the conversation.

“I have a few more things for you.” The Advisor continued, “Wait here.” It walked over to another headstone and pushed the marker back, then reached down and retrieved a number of objects from within. “Tradition dictates that the belongings of deceased heroes be reused in times of peril.” The Advisor explained as he hobbled back to Endel. “We are not the first to invoke such traditions. You will need these more than their previous owners.”

The Advisor handed Endel a collection of leather armor that included a cuirass, gloves, and cloak with a facemask. He quickly replaced his old armor with the new pieces. “Now you look the part of an agent of the Goddess!” The Advisor praised him. “A true Scoundrel of Virtue!”

Endel didn’t realize the significance of The Advisor’s words, but looked over his new armor and weapon to see that everything was in order. “I don’t suppose you have any arrows?” he asked, to which The Advisor looked surprised to have forgotten something so important. “Of course!” it responded, then returned to the first grave and came back with a quiver of a few dozen arrows. “You’ll have to be shrewd with your supply for now, but any arrow you find will work with the bow.” it told him. Endel nodded, then turned back toward the entrance to the Graveyard.

“Return back the way we came, and you will find a staircase, then a ladder leading to the castle courtyard.” The Advisor explained. “Your objective is the top of the castle. Do not allow yourself to be seen by friend or foe!” Endel felt like he had a hundred questions for his new ally, but time was of the essence. He gave a hasty goodbye, took a torch off the wall, and started back down the cave at a jog.

After returning back to the net he’d fallen on, it wasn’t far to the staircase The Advisor had mentioned. Surprisingly, the walls had turned to cut stone, and the staircase was clearly manmade. At its top was the ladder he’d been told to expect which, after five solid minutes of climbing, terminated in a small ledge whose roof could be moved. Turning the roof aside, he climbed up into the moonlight to find himself on a large, stone patio.

Replacing the stone he’d moved, Endel looked around to get his bearings. He was at the edge of the courtyard, with the castle keep nearby. Scattered around the battlements were bulblin archers Kazdan must have recruited from Death Mountain. Deciding to test out his new weapon, Endel unslung the bow and nocked an arrow, then aimed at the nearest bulblin.

“This had better work, you old weirdo…” Endel muttered, then drew the bow back. The pulleys and mechanisms in its limbs compensated for the exertion, and he was able to draw the arrow back with relative ease. Hoping this would somehow work, he released it.

The projectile shot forward faster than Endel could follow it, and found its mark in the neck of a bulblin archer. The beast faltered, then fell off the battlements to the courtyard below. Endel located the corpse and looted more arrows out of its quiver.

He looked around the keep’s exterior for more watchmen, but something caught his eye. Billowing in the wind near a balcony was a leather jacket, its arm pierced by an arrow. Torianna’s jacket! His friends must have been through here!

Endel took a moment to snipe any more archers guarding the keep, then used a nearby tree to scale the wall. Climbing up a crack, then along the rugged exterior stone, he tried to pull the jacket free but found it was pinned fast to the rock. Abandoning it, he leapt to the balcony then continued his ascent from within.

Avoiding or killing anything unfortunate enough to cross his path, Endel heard a chilling scream from above. Kazdan had probably found his friends, and gods knew what he planned to do with them. Doubling his pace, he climbed the stairs and found himself at an open, ornate doorway. He peered around the corner to see his friends, pinned to the ground by magic, and Kazdan with his back to him going on about his plans to turn them into demon lords. Now was the time to strike.

No one else noticed as Endel stood in the doorway and nocked another arrow. “This is it, the moment I do the unthinkable…” he muttered as he aimed for Kazdan’s back. “I’ve never said a prayer in my life, what the hell am I supposed to do?” He began to pull back the bowstring. “To hell with it, I’m gonna talk and you gods better listen,” he finally resolved.

“Gods, you’ve treated me like dirt from birth, but I don’t care anymore. Just… help me out, damn it!” Endel shouted, causing Kazdan to turn around. The arrowhead began to shine like the sun, and when Endel released it, the whole shaft flew forward like a shooting star. Kazdan didn’t even get out a word before the arrow hit his heart.

White-stained blood gushed from the wound in Kazdan’s chest. He clenched his teeth and sank to his knees, white bile now pouring out of his nose and mouth. Collapsing to the ground, his whole body turned to a black sludge that swallowed the white and settled on the floor.

Endel’s prayer, the only one he’d ever said in his life, had been answered.

Before he could contemplate what just happened, Maia flew forward and wrapped her arms around his chest. Tears rolling down her face, she let out a string of sentences and sobs.

“Can’t believe you… thought you were dead… missed you terribly... don’t ever do that again!” Maia cried as the leather of his cuirass muffled her protests. “I won’t, I promise.” Endel assured her. She looked up at him, then blushed profusely, having realized what she’d done. Stepping away from Endel and looking at the others, she turned her head down in embarrassment.

Princess Zelda let out a cough, getting their attention. “I believe we need to return to the courtyard and secure the castle,” she advised, to which Endel turned to her and nodded. Torianna and the others got up, then walked over to him. “Looking spiffy!” she teased, to which Endel smiled. “It is good to see you again,” Skallin told him cooly, and Lorcan patted him on the shoulder and grinned.

“Let’s get the princess out of here!” Endel told them, and they made their way back down the tower.

\---

They left Skallin in the tower, who said he wanted to study Kazdan’s remains for a bit. “I did not suspect him to die in this way. Very interesting…” their friend had gotten lost in his thoughts, so they left him in Zelda’s room for now.

Torianna, for one, was ready to put all this behind her. Kazdan was dead, Network was probably losing, and who knew where her father would go into hiding after he was inevitably run out of town? She let out a deep sigh. It was all over, now.

Everyone stopped when they heard the scream.

Torianna couldn’t tell if the source was human, or one of those hybrids. It sounded almost familiar to her, yet distorted by some blockage of air in the throat. As if something were gargling its own blood.

Maia made a move toward the source on the other side of a closed door, but Endel grabbed her shoulder. “We can’t risk a trap.” He told her, but Torianna stepped toward the door. “I think I know who it is. Leave this to me, Endel.” She said. “Maia, you can come with me.”

Lorcan met Endel’s gaze, and their leader relented. “We’ll be at the entrance to the keep, making sure no hybrids get up here,” he told them. Torianna and Maia nodded, then slowly opened the door.

It was incredibly dark in the room, but the sharp breathing of something in pain reverberated through it. Torianna could barely make out someone slumped in a chair, gripping its arm. “Light a torch,” Torianna whispered to Maia, who pulled one out from her equipment and set it to blaze. The room was laid bare by the orange light, and the sight it brought to Torianna’s eyes filled her with a dread she’d never expected.

Jaydon was sitting across from them. On the floor next to him was the syringe Kazdan had filled with the demon serum. He’d used it on himself.

The skin on Jaydon’s arm was already white as snow, and it was creeping like a rash over his body. His irises were slowly darkening, and where his skin was still human black blood could be seen coursing through his veins. He let his hand slump to his side, each clench of his fists sending a pulse of dark blood through his body. The horrible transformation had already begun.

Torianna rushed forward and gripped her brother’s shoulders. “Jaydon!” she whispered. “What have you done?”

“Heh, y-you’re not... all that, you know?” Jaydon stuttered. He seemed unsure of his words, as if he wasn’t thinking clearly anymore. “They wanted to give you the injection first… heh heh… but why should you have that honor?” He looked down at the empty syringe. “So I stole it. Stole the serum from Kazdan’s office… he never saw me, haha, that’s how good I am!”

Torianna’s eyes began to water. She shook Jaydon violently, and his mind seemed to clear for a moment. “Sis!” he cried out. “What’s happening to me!? My thoughts… not my own… ugh!” He thrashed his head as if scaring away a bad dream. “I was so jealous of you, so I t-took the serum… but I don’t feel anything a-against you anymore…!”

Jaydon was just rambling now. His blackened eyes seemed clouded and distant. “So important… I’m so important now…” he kept muttering to himself. Torianna thought about shaking him again, but then she saw his hand was holding a dagger. She froze, her self-preservation instincts stopping her approach but her compassion for her only brother preventing her escape. “But t-there’s… one thing I lost.” he muttered.

“You didn’t lose anything!” Torianna shouted at him. “You’re still my baby brother! I won’t let you become a demon!” They locked eyes, but then Jaydon’s irises turned pitch black, and the oily blood in his veins became clouded in white skin. He leapt up, slashing his dagger forward at Torianna as if she were a nuisance to him. The blade sliced her arm open with ease.

Crumpling to the ground, not in pain- she’d gone completely numb in shock- but in horror, Torianna watched her brother stand over her. Maia rushed him and swiped the arm holding his dagger, but her blade didn’t even scratch Jaydon’s skin and only knocked his weapon to the ground. He let out a grunt, then kicked her aside, knocking her against a wall.

“What I lost… is my name.” the demon lord announced. “Henceforth, you will address me as Gaou.” Torianna couldn’t bear to move, but Maia stirred and charged the new demon lord again. He dodged her blow entirely this time, but before he could make a move he seemed to notice something above. 

“The other one is stirring…” Gaou muttered to himself. “I can’t face him yet, so I will spare you both. For now.” Turning his back on Torianna and Maia, he disappeared in a flash of magic.

With the departure of Jayon… no Gaou, an afterimage had burned into Torianna’s mind as she lay there bleeding. It wasn’t the image of a madman per se, but the face he’d made at her. It was a look of pure, cold malice.

Maia dragged Torianna to her feet, but when her arm moved a burst of pain shot through her. “Augh! Damn it!” She yelled. “S-sorry…” Maia stammered, moving her hands to Torianna’s waist and hauling her up. “We need to get you to my room, it’s a couple floors down.” Maia informed her. Great, now she could bleed to death in a weeping servant girl’s bed.

Wrapping her good hand over her shoulder, Maia helped Torianna out of the room and down the stairs. Torianna had ripped off part of her sleeve and wrapped it around the wound, but it wasn’t doing much good. Blood had already soaked the cloth and started running down her arm again, but at least it was going numb from the adrenaline rush. After fading out a couple times, Torianna finally registered being dragged through a doorway and falling gently onto a bed.

“Whaddya plan ta do with me?” Torianna asked, her words slurring. “I know how to sew.” Maia explained. “From making dresses. I’m going to stitch your wound shut.” Torianna felt a vague urge to protest, but she was starting to go into shock and was too confuddled to form words. Realizing this, Maia slid a pillow under her legs and threw a blanket over her lower body. “I also treated injured soldiers from time to time. Now, try to hold still...” she cautioned, then knelt beside the wounded arm. Torianna couldn’t help but think Maia was at least in her element now.

An intense prick and the feeling of something coarse being pulled through her skin gave Torianna a moment of painful clarity. The image of that demon lord burned in her head again, and the faintest recognition that the beast was no longer her brother flitted through her brain. Repeated pricks and thread against her nerves caused her to moan in weak protests, but Maia seemed to ignore it. She could also feel her thoughts moving with fluidity thanks to the agony, and she kept thinking over and over about her brother. Her dead brother.

Yeah, it was best to think of Jaydon as dead now. The alternative was too unpleasant to her.

With one last tug, Maia pulled the thread out of her skin and secured the end. The pain was dulling, but Torianna could feel herself fading fast. Maia leaned over her and put something warm on her head. “I’ll be here until…” The words seemed so distant Torianna wasn’t sure what Maia had said, but she didn’t have time to parse them. Her eyes grew heavy and she knew no more.

\---

Maia took deep breaths. She hated to admit it, but the sight of blood and open wounds still made her a bit nauseous. Torianna was out cold now, so the other girl sat down in a nearby chair and waited for her friend to wake up. Their lives were no longer in danger, so Maia tried to relax.

Thinking back to the encounter with Gaou, Maia remembered he’d mentioned something about someone else ‘stirring’ above. She knew Skallin was up there, but why would a demon lord be afraid of him? No offense to Skallin, but he wasn’t a match for their new foe.

The heavy clanking of metal caught Maia’s attention and she called out to Skallin as he ran by the doorway. He stopped, then turned and waved before Maia gestured him inside the room.

“I’ve made an alarming discovery… oh, what happened?” Skallin asked, for once realizing the gravity of the moment. “Torianna got injured by her brother,” Maia explained. Skallin’s head turned to the stitched wound on Torianna’s arm, then back to Maia. “I see you were able to take care of it.” he observed, then walked over and sat down next to her.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, unsure of what to talk about. Maia hadn’t talked to Skallin much before- nobody seemed to have a deep conversation with him given his detached attitude- but her tendency to grow close to people spurred her to warm up to him. 

“You know, I think in your own way you’re more contemplative than Lorcan!” Maia tried to tease him, to which Skallin nodded. “We share the disposition of introvertedness, that is true…” he replied. Cracking his shell was going to be tough. “Well, I’m sure we’re all dying to get to know you better,” Maia told him. “All of us get the feeling you have something really astute to say, but you never let it out.”

Skallin looked at Maia for a second, then turned back. “I had never thought of that,” he replied simply, then did something unusual for him. Reaching behind his head with one hand, he rubbed the back of his head in an all-too-human way of showing embarrassment. “I will try to show more human compassion from now on. It will definitely help me bridge the gap between my inhumanity and your normal human habits.”

Maia thought about telling him not to think of himself as inhuman, but didn’t want to criticize. At any rate, Torianna was stirring again. The girl certainly made a quick recovery; perhaps she was more tired than in shock?

Opening her eyes, Torianna looked to Skallin, then Maia before rubbing her head. “I feel really thirsty…” she muttered, so Maia got up and brought her a pitcher of water. “Blood loss can lead to dehydration sometimes.” Maia informed her, then slowly tilted the pitcher to let a brief trickle of water into Torianna’s mouth. She continued to give her small sips for a few minutes so she wouldn’t vomit, then handed her the pitcher to drink at her leisure.

“What’s the plan now?” Torianna asked, deferring to Maia’s judgment. Maia thought about discussing Gaou, but didn’t want to bring that up quite yet. “We need to regroup with Endel. Let me know when you’re ready to move.” Maia instructed her. Torianna nodded, then sat up in the bed and went back to drinking.

“I must warn you both, time may be of the essence.” Skallin cautioned them, and Torianna cocked an eyebrow. “I’ll explain later, but we may be in danger.” he elucidated. Torianna set the pitcher on a bedside table, then gave a sudden leap out of the bed. “Let’s not waste time, then,” she replied, and with only a bit of stumbling managed to walk to the doorway.

Maia followed her down the rest of the stairs to the base of the castle as Skallin took up the rear. Strangely, he seemed alert and kept his blade drawn the entire time, giving Maia cause for unease. Surely Gaou had long left the castle; why was he so on edge?

They reached the entrance to the courtyard, where Maia found Endel and the others resting. “Glad to see you’re safe!” Endel told them, then looked at Torianna’s injured arm. “Run into trouble?” he asked, and Torianna nodded. “We’ve got a huge problem on our hands.” she explained, then told them about Jaydon taking the demon lord serum and becoming Gaou.

Endel rubbed his temple in frustration. “I guess this isn’t over yet…” he muttered, “I’ll let Telma know what we’re dealing with.”

“That… may not be our only concern.” Skallin interrupted. Endel crossed his arms, but listened quietly. “I believe what is left of Kazdan has survived your arrow and is at large. When I was examining his remains, they suddenly… disappeared. As if they had evaporated into thin air by magic.”

“So what? Maybe he just died like a regular monster?” Torianna interjected, but Skallin shook his head. “I sensed a burst of magical energy. Kazdan somehow cast a teleportation spell on himself.”

“We are certain from his own accounts that Kazdan was transfused with wizzrobe blood, but I suspect he did not stop there…” Skallin continued. “Examining the properties of his remains, I found traces of several monsters within the pool. Kazdan likely infused many kinds of monster blood in his veins to become as close to a demon as he could without altering his physical appearance.”

Endel peered curiously at Skallin. “How does that make him alive, though?” he asked. “I believe the transfusions have rendered Kazdan… unstable.” Skallin explained. “His form is reconstituting as we speak, and will probably seek out Gaou to continue his experiments.”

“Well, at any rate crippling him sent the hybrids into a panic.” Endel replied. “They routed and the remaining Scoundrels of Virtue chased them out of town. We’ve retaken the city.” Maia let out a sigh of relief; at least they could rest easier now. “Ashei wanted you to regroup inside the castle and prepare to drive out Network tomorrow.” Zelda informed them. “I will be staying at your base while you defend the castle from a possible assault.”

“I guess we’d better head back to our rooms then, seeing as it’s past midnight.” Torianna replied, and everyone agreed. They took their leave of the princess, then wearily made their way back to their rooms in the castle. Parting ways with the others, Maia went to her old room, cleaned up the bloody sheets, and passed out on the mattress with her clothes still on.

It was about time she got some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Advisor is a minor character that belongs to me.


	15. Chapter 15

After Endel got up the next morning, his thoughts turned to the events of yesterday. Although he could hardly believe it, he was a very different man now after meeting The Advisor. Not only did he have a new outlook on his place in the world, but he felt like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. It was almost like he no longer had to worry about what to do next or how to keep surviving, because a tranquility had enveloped him and assured him everything would fall into place. He no longer worried about why he had to do anything. Now, it was all about the ‘what’ to do that stood before him.

Regarding this new ‘what,’ he knew that the next step was hunting down Network and getting them out of Hyrule. If that wasn’t accomplished, they would just make more hybrids and terrorize Castle Town again. It was as simple as that. Endel braced himself for a big day, got dressed, and headed downstairs to see the others.

None of his friends were in the dining hall yet, and when Endel looked outside he saw it was barely dawn. He’d only slept for a couple hours, but he was still awake and ready to go. However, it didn’t take long for Ashei to show up for breakfast, so he approached her to discuss their next objective.

“I feel like our next move needs to be eliminating Network.” Endel told Ashei as they sat down to breakfast. “You feel like it? Weird choice of words, but you’re right.” she replied. “I want you and the others to raid their base today. We’ve got them trapped in their den, and you’re gonna flush them out, yeah?” Endel nodded in affirmation, then returned to his breakfast.

Torianna was the first to come down from her room after Endel, and she ate her food unusually quiet. He was about to ask her about last night when Lorcan came down, which gave Endel the idea of leaving Torianna’s brooding to his expertise. Predictably, Lorcan nudged Torianna’s good arm and gave her that inquisitive look of his, to which she relented.

“I’ll be fine, busybody. I just need to get out of this gloomy castle and back on the streets where I belong!” Torianna gave them a brave smile, then finished her breakfast and began sharpening her daggers. Lorcan looked at Endel and shrugged, but left her alone.

Maia finally came down, looking well-rested and upbeat. Endel figured yesterday had been the hardest on her; even he realized by now that he was special to her, and she’d almost lost him. He wanted to grow closer to her, too, though he couldn’t explain why. Maybe he just liked her after all this time of respecting her development as a Scoundrel? He just couldn’t bring himself to think about that though. Falling in love with someone meant stopping and settling down, and he didn’t have the option of doing that yet.

“Good morning!” Maia said to the group, and Endel looked to her and gave her a smile. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, then turned to Torianna’s arm. “How’s the stitching?” Maia asked, and Torianna just shrugged in her usual way. Skallin appeared in the corner of Endel’s eye, and after he joined them it was time to brief everyone on the mission.

Everyone finished their breakfast and gathered around Endel. “Ashei wants us to flush out the Network base in town,” he told them, “after that we’ll have the city secure. Then, we can think about hunting down Gaou and Kazdan.” Everyone seemed to agree with this logic, and they readied their equipment before leaving Hyrule Castle behind.

It was a short walk from the castle to Network’s base. Endel put Lorcan in charge of figuring out how to infiltrate the place before turning to Torianna. “We might have to deal with Darius today. Are you ready for that?” he asked. Torianna gave him a wicked smile. “Absolutely!” she told him. Endel smiled back, then returned to Lorcan to check his progress.

Their quiet friend had broken into the Network base twice already, and figuring out how to enter through a trapdoor he remembered seeing (the basement was completely boarded up and blocked) was easy enough. After descending into a small tunnel, Lorcan led them to a ladder that emerged in the back of the building. Inside was eerily quiet and dark, but Endel didn’t want to light a torch in unfamiliar territory, so he peeled his eyes for signs of life.

Suddenly there was a groaning of wood followed by a collision against the upstairs wall. Something was here after all, and it was ransacking the place. That could only mean they weren’t alone, and their company was violent. Motioning to a table, Endel gathered them underneath the tablecloth and listened.

“So! You’ve abandoned me at last, Darius!” someone shouted before another boom echoed through the place. “Our kinship may be gone, but even I expected some semblance of concern from you!” Wait, kinship? Then the person raiding the place had to be…

Gaou came thundering down the stairs. “I sense… a presence.” he murmured, then turned to the room where they were hiding. Endel’s throat ran dry. He looked to the others, but nobody seemed to have an idea of how to escape. They were trapped.

Suddenly, the guttural hissing of a lizalfos came from behind Endel. He looked around to see Lorcan was making monster noises. What was he getting at? “Ah… so it’s you,” Gaou responded. “Kazdan, I expected you would seek me out!” 

Of course! Kazdan was made of monsters, so monster calls would make Gaou think he was nearby. Lorcan made a bokoblin growl, and they heard Gaou take a few steps away. “Afraid to show your face? Understandable. I do not wish to see you anyway.” Gaou replied.

“You should know something, however.” Gaou continued after a brief pause. “I read your mind, and I know what you want. Your agenda is purely revenge now, if you can even still feel something that complex. You aren’t attacking me, so I’ll assume curiosity drew you here. But I know your next target.” he hinted.

Gaou let out a laugh. “Happy hunting!” he mockingly cheered. A flash of magic through the tablecloth told Endel he was gone, so they left their hiding place. “Nice work!” Torianna said to Lorcan, and he blushed. Endel had to admit, it was uncanny that a mute had just saved them by talking, but he brushed that thought aside as he considered Gaou’s words.

“We know Kazdan is after revenge.” Endel pondered aloud. “Hyrule Castle is out of his reach, and he doesn’t want to kill Gaou, so-” he froze. There was only one possible target left on that madman’s agenda; the Scoundrels of Virtue. They were scattered around town, but Network had probably told Kazdan where their base was. They were in grave danger.

Skallin picked up on Endel’s deduction and stiffened. “We have to stop Kazdan, once and for all. He will be at our base, and time is of the essence.” he told the others. “Let us go send that monster to his grim fate!”

Lorcan led them to the front door and, with Skallin’s help, knocked it and the boards covering it away. Scoundrels leapt from their observation positions and rushed the doorway, but when they saw Endel they paused. “Where’s Network?” one of them asked, but Endel didn’t have time to explain. “The base is under attack! Gather everyone and make for the main entrance on the other side of town!” he told them, and their leader rounded up the men and followed Endel’s group to base.

As they reached the other side of town, Endel saw smoke billowing from the manholes in the street. Something had set fire to the underworks, and he had a bad feeling Kazdan was to blame. The manhole covers were too hot to move, so Endel directed them to the trapdoor entrance in the old doctor’s office. Hopefully fire wasn’t blocking the way to the center of their base.

Underground, Endel and the others were met with horrific scenes of carnage. Bodies littered the hallway, already decomposing under clumps of some strange gelatin that hissed like acid. What the hell was Kazdan capable of now? “Head for the main hall!” Endel yelled behind him, and his friends followed alongside the other Scoundrels to the center of base. Scorch marks and sporadic fires suggested something had set off their stores of gunpowder, then tossed the flaming barrels throughout the corridor. Most of the rooms along the way were already filled with fire and smoke, so Endel brought up his facemask to filter the burning air.  
Some of the Scoundrels in their company charged ahead despite Endel’s protests, but didn’t make it far before something caused them to scream in terror. He couldn’t see through the smoke, but suspected Kazdan was just out of eyesight. Everyone stepped into the center of the base, but the horrific scene waiting for them was unimaginable.

More clumps of the acidic bile practically coated the walls of the room, melting anyone it touched. Screams of pain and despair filled the air, and those that were still alive tried to fight their foe in the center of the room. But that foe was the most horrific thing of all.

In front of Endel was a massive, malformed skeleton. Dripping from its body in chunks was the bile that had melted his comrades in the corridor, and each thrash of its limbs sent more of the filth all over the room. Its rib cage was filled with knots and strands of gore from all manner of monsters, some of it pulsing as if it were still alive somehow. The skull of the abomination was alien, but its bloody eyes were undoubtedly Kazdan’s.

This freak… it had no right to live, and Endel was going to make sure it died for good this time.

Endel nocked an arrow and began to pray, but a hand rested on his shoulder. He turned around to see Skallin looking at him. “Light will only reconstitute his body again,” Skallin explained. “Your arrows have cracked the shell of the nut, but a worm is needed to devour the meat.”

What the hell was Skallin talking about? “We need to destabilize Kazdan’s cocktail of monster blood,” he continued. “Introducing monster essence is the only way.” Endel quickly realized Skallin’s implications and an incredible sorrow washed over his body.

Skallin was going to kill Kazdan by sacrificing himself.

“Please, this is my last request,” Skallin continued, his voice now wavering from emotional distress. “Distract Kazdan. I will take care of the rest.”

Endel’s eyes began to water. He didn’t want to lose a friend, not like this. Skallin deserved better. But they were out of time and options. “You started me on the path that saved me, Skallin. It’s been an honor!” He told him, then wrapped his arms around the darknut’s torso. Skallin returned the embrace, then parted to face his destiny.

Nocking an arrow, Endel aimed at one of Kazdan’s eyes and fired a normal shot. The tip didn’t penetrate the tissue but caused a moderate annoyance to Kazdan, so Endel kept firing them. Skallin ran behind him and leapt onto his back, then began to climb his spine up to the top of his ribcage. Unable to reach that spot, Kazdan began flailing around, but Torianna wedged a log into his kneecap to trip him up.

Suddenly Kazdan went still and began charging a spell. Endel tried to fire more arrows into his eyes while the others assaulted his legs, but nothing was breaking the monster’s focus. Spurred on by the imminent attack, Skallin swung around to his former master’s front and slipped between his ribs. Immersing himself in the gore trapped there, he gave Endel one last look before diving into the slurry for good.

Kazdan’s head jerked up as if his entire body had just gone into shock. The clumps of acidic bile on his body began melting away in droves, and the knotted gore in his chest trembled violently. Even Endel could feel the immense magical radiation occurring now, and knew Kazdan was about to blow. “RETREAT!” He hollered over the confusion, and everyone ran for different corridors around the room, but it was too late. With one last, violent scream, Kazdan exploded in a shockwavethat sent everyone flying across the room. Endel collided with the wall and went out cold.

\---

When Lorcan regained his senses, there was nothing but chaos all around. The ceiling was rumbling, almost everyone but his friends were dead, and the smoke of the fires had filled the main hall of their base. He could barely make sense of the insanity, but the magnitude of the situation got his adrenaline pumping, so he quickly roused his friends and pointed to the corridor they’d come from.

Endel led the way as they dodged falling masonry and gouts of fire escaping crumbling rooms. A blast of fire from one doorway caught Torianna’s leg and ignited her clothes, so Lorcan stopped to help her. “COME ON!” Endel yelled over the hellscape, but Lorcan shook his head and shooed him away.

“You want to die in here with me or something!?” Torianna shouted as Lorcan pulled out his canteen and a thick blanket. He tried emptying the contents of the canteen on the flame, then smothering it with the blanket, and the combination of both put out the fire. She still had a nasty burn on her leg, but it was nothing that medicine couldn’t fix. Unfortunately that was the least of their worries, as a deep rumble told Lorcan that the entire corridor was about to collapse.

Picking Torianna up, he threw her over his back and sprinted for the exit. He could just barely see Endel and the others when an archway between them collapsed, blocking the way forward. Trying not to panic, Lorcan looked around for another way when the hall behind them began to collapse as well. Torianna let out a scream that jolted his nerves and sent him into a panic. He couldn’t allow them to be crushed in the place he once called home, but this looked like the end.

Suddenly Lorcan spotted a partially collapsed wall with a hole plenty big enough for the both of them. He threw Torianna into the crevice, then dove in himself just before the hall behind them collapsed. The crashing of stone and wood soon went away as the world descended into darkness.

It was the most horrible stillness Lorcan had ever known.

Lighting a torch, Torianna got up and looked around. They were in a mostly collapsed room of their former base from what Lorcan could tell, and while the ceiling was intact it was too risky to move away the rocks and make an escape.

Torianna looked at him with tears in her eyes before her face contorted into one of pure anguish. “Damn you!” She hollered. “You just HAD to go and be the hero, huh!? Well I hope you’re glad you tried to save me, because now I’m STILL gonna die, and you with me!” She kicked a stone in his direction and he covered his face before it flew over his head. “You’re gonna die and it’s all my fault! Because you’re such a big, damn hero! I HATE YOU!”

It took every ounce of Lorcan’s focus not to tear into his friend, but weeks of dealing with Torianna had made him resilient to her temper. Taking a deep breath, he walked over and gave her a look of indifference. “What, you think you can pretend you don’t feel like an idiot right now!?” she spat. “Here we go, the great and admirable Lorcan pretending he did the right thing! News flash, you screwed up and you’re gonna die!”

Lorcan just let it roll off his back, then shrugged. “How… why… where do you get off just pretending you’re happy to be stuck here?” Torianna said, looking more dumbfounded than angry now. “Why are you so happy that you gave me a few more hours to live? Don’t tell me you’re dumb enough to feel sorry for me!” Lorcan just gazed into her eyes, willing her to realize why he’d done something so foolish.

“Wait… do you… have feelings for me, or something?” Torianna asked. Lorcan raised his eyebrows; the girl was getting better at reading others. “Come on… that’s ridiculous!” she shot back. “You… liking someone like me… don’t you realize I hate you!?” Lorcan smirked and gave a skeptical look that caused her to become even more flustered. “Ugh! You really are the worst!” she roared, then crossed her arms and sat in a corner of the room, facing away. Lorcan just rolled his eyes and sighed. What an immature girl.

Still, it was true that he was falling for her, and he felt an urge for her to reciprocate, so he tried being diplomatic. After giving her some time to cool down, he walked over to her and poked her on the shoulder. She turned her head to look at him. “What, decided Maia is more your kind of woman?” She quipped, and he forced a chuckle. “Don’t think you can win me over. It’s your blood on my hands, and I’m pretty pissed off.” Lorcan could tell she was putting up a false front now, so he sat down beside her and gave her a smile.

“Alright, so I don’t hate you that much, maybe I even like you a little bit,” Torianna finally admitted, “but if we do somehow get out of this, we’re keeping it professional! I can’t afford to fall for you right now.” Lorcan nodded; this sort of half-confession was the best he could’ve hoped for. She extended her hand in a formal agreement, and he took it and shook. Gods, this woman was odd.

After a couple hours of awkward silence, the torch went out and they were forced to sit in the dark. “Promise me one thing, Lorcan.” Torianna asked. “I don’t want you to be like my father or brother. Never, ever double cross me, ok?” Lorcan reached over and grabbed her hand. They couldn’t see each other, but he felt like she was smiling.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of shifting stone, then flint being struck against tinder. Fearing that someone was demolishing the wall, Lorcan grabbed Torianna and blindly pulled her to the opposite end of their enclosure. Shielding her body, he was rocked by an explosion that, thankfully, didn’t send much debris in their direction. Light poured into their prison, and Lorcan looked to see Endel and Maia waiting for them at the exit they’d made.

It had occurred to Lorcan that Endel might be grieving for Skallin, but the pain on his face made it evident he was suffering dearly. The brightness of his eyes seemed gone, and they looked like those of a tired, old man. Maia was clinging to his arm in concern, though for which party Lorcan wasn’t sure.

“Glad to see you again!” Endel called out. Torianna ran forward and, surprisingly, gave him a hug. “Let’s get out of this place…” She asked, and Endel nodded solemnly. Looking back one last time, Lorcan let out a sigh and went with his friends.

\---

Maia didn’t know how to be here for Endel right now.

It was odd, feeling like she’d failed as his emotional support. As long as she’d been in the Scoundrels of Virtue, Maia excelled at comforting Endel and getting him out of a dark state of mind. But this was different; they’d actually lost a friend, and Maia had never known that pain in her life. How could she relate to such an unknown feeling? She could almost feel him drifting away from her these past few hours, borne on the wreckage of his relationship with Skallin.

For now, the only thing she could do was be there for her remaining friends. If she couldn’t show physical prowess in thievery or battle, she could at least hold the team together. Stepping forward to embrace Torianna and Lorcan, she tried to mask her despair at losing Endel as well as Skallin.

“We had gunpowder brought in from the castle, thank the goddess there was enough!” Maia told Torianna. She scoffed indifferently in reply. “I’ve learned I can count on you guys when the going gets tough, so I wasn’t too worried myself!” she proclaimed; Maia was glad she’d kept her uncanny ego, at least.  
The sound of arguing caught their attention, and they turned to see Ashei giving a few castle guardsmen an earful. “What do you mean, we’re out of powder kegs!?” She hollered, and her audience cowered. “Useless! Go scrape some from Kakariko, at least!” Storming away, she approached Maia and the others.

“Great, just great!” Ashei groaned. “We can’t uncover the rest of the base, the town’s water supply is toast, and Zelda is missing!” Endel cautiously walked up to his boss and tried to be diplomatic. “What can we do to help?” he asked, and Ashei let out a deep sigh before collecting herself.

“Gods, where to begin?” she asked, but before Maia could make any suggestions, an eruption of gripes bombarded her. “Almost all the Scoundrels of Virtue are dead or missing and our base is kaput, so we technically don’t exist anymore! We uncovered the room we were holding the princess in, but all we found were dead Networkers! Entire streets have collapsed and we’re out of explosives and manpower to fix it! Kazdan polluted the city’s water supply with his sludge and we’re facing a water crisis! Anything else you can think of, yeah!?”

Maia and the others were speechless now, so Ashei just stared daggers at them until Torianna finally got the nerve to speak. “Well, we take it one thing at a time then. First of all, how do we fix the water crisis?” She calmly inquired. Ashei let out another sigh and looked away. “The zoras. Prince Ralis owes the royal family big time, so we should be able to get his experts to purify the water.”

“Ok, so we go to the zoras first. We need the water fixed more than anything else- yes, even Zelda!” Torianna glared at Maia, cutting her off before she could object. “After that, we track down the princess. We can safely assume Network abducted her, so we’ll get leads on where she’s being held.” Maia silently agreed that was the best course of action, and now Lorcan was nodding in agreement as well. Endel seemed to drift off after getting chewed out and didn’t say anything.

“Our team can’t do anything about the explosives, so that falls to you and Telma,” Torianna continued. “And I don’t know what to tell you about our lost comrades, but if our Scoundrels are gone, then so be it!” Ashei gave a grin and placed her hand on Torianna’s shoulder. “Thank the gods we made you a Scoundrel, yeah?” she said, then turned to Endel. “This is my last mission for you as your boss, so listen up!”

Endel shook his head and looked Ashei in the eye. “First, go to Zora’s Domain and meet Prince Ralis.” she told him. “Tell him the situation and I figure he’ll help. After that, track down Zelda and put Network to the sword. Especially Darius!” Torianna gave a nasty grin. “And finally, do something about Gaou,” Ashei added, “He’s a loose cannon we can’t afford to have. Now get out there and fix this godsawful situation!”

Maia gave their former boss a fierce nod of approval. They were going to end this mess, Scoundrels or not. Endel took the lead and they wordlessly crossed town to the stables, got a carriage, and left Castle Town behind.

Travelling north, they travelled through the hills on the outskirts of Hyrule Field until sunset. Worried about crossing bandit-infested mountains at night, Endel had them stop at a nearby hotel. Maia was thankful the monster’s retreat deeper into the mountains over the years had made these outposts a possibility.

Endel abandoned the group to pay for rooms, so Maia turned to Lorcan for some emotional support. “I’m glad you and Torianna made it out alive, at least.” she confessed to him. “I’m worried about Skallin’s loss and how Endel is taking it, however.” Lorcan gave her an interesting look. “Why are you staring at me like… oh,” it suddenly occurred to Maia that she was wasting time talking to him when she should be with Endel, and Lorcan knew it. “Thank you…” she meekly told him, then turned toward the hotel and went inside.

Looking around, it appeared that Endel had already gone upstairs, so Maia asked the innkeeper where he was staying and was directed to his room. She felt unusually anxious as she knocked on the door, letting herself in after hearing a distant Endel greet her.

“I wanted to talk to you…” Maia told him, but Endel held up a hand. “It’s ok, I don’t need any comfort.” he told her, but she felt a surge of irritation at his standoffish attitude. “Like hell you don’t!” She shot at him, trying to emulate Torianna’s sass, which seemed to at least get his attention. “You lost a friend, we all did, and I know you! You feel personally responsible! You have a big heart for someone who acts like he doesn’t need a shoulder to lean on, you know!”

Endel gave her a weary look. “So what?” he told her. “I’ve lived all my life being my own support group, and it got me through my cruddy childhood just fine. You don’t need to fix my heart or anything.” Maia looked at him, astounded. “Fix your heart? Endel, it’s not about me being your support group! I care about you, so why can’t you let me in and put some happiness in your life for once!?”

They were both silent for a moment as Endel looked at the ground. “And what if I grow close to you and die?” he asked. “Or if you get killed first? Do you want one of us to end up hurt like that!?” he spat bitterly. Maia took a deep breath, then sat down on his bed. “It would be worth it to me.” She replied. “I know it.”

“How… how can you say that?” Endel asked her, quieter this time. “Losing Skallin has torn me apart, and he was just a friend! If I lost you…” he faltered for a moment before sitting beside Maia. “...I couldn’t even imagine it.”

Deep inside herself, Maia found the answer she’d been looking for, the way she could be there for Endel even in death. “It’s not about having each other.” she told him, trying to meet his eyes. “It’s about sharing these moments, for as long as we can. Do you think either of us dying will ever erase the time you rescued me from the castle dungeon? Or when you trained me to use a sword? No. Those memories are forever, and I want to make more of them with you!”

Endel finally met her gaze. “Ok, so maybe that’s a good point. But how do I stop everything I’m doing to be with you?” he asked. Maia responded by putting her hand on his shoulder. “You’ve been running your whole life, Endel. If you never slow down, at least to enjoy this moment, what will it have all been for?”

Finally, a smile crossed Endel’s face. Maia returned it with her own. “I… want to slow down for you, Maia,” he confessed. He inched closer to her and put his hand around her waist. “Can you help me?”

“Of course I can. I want to…” she whispered back. They paused for a moment, their noses nearly touching, before closing their eyes and meeting in a passionate kiss.

They held each other for what seemed like an eternity, finally coming together in romantic bliss after wanting it for so long, before the slam of the door against the wall caused Maia to nearly jump out of her skin. Standing in the doorway were Lorcan and Torianna, the latter wearing an expression of unapologetic schadenfreude.

“What’d I tell ya!?” She hollered before elbowing Lorcan in the ribs. “They’re up here getting all cozy with each other! You owe me five gold, pal!” Lorcan smirked before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a few coins, then handing them over indifferently. Apparently they’d been wagering on this happening, and were gleeful to see some romance after a long day. Maia, none too eager to share in their enjoyment of her shame, jumped off the bed and pushed past them to go to her room. “Aren’t you gonna wish your girlfriend sweet dreams?” Torianna joked before cackling, but Maia didn’t bother humoring her. Going to her room, she dove under the covers of her bed and willed herself to sleep before Torianna could arrive to torment her.

Those two were going to drive her crazy.


	16. Chapter 16

Torianna woke up with a smile on her face for the first time in a while. In spite of everything that had happened, she was in good spirits thanks to last night. Maia may not be much good in a fight, but at least she could make her laugh, and getting Lorcan in on the fun with their wager made it all the better.

Come to think of it, though, what was going on between herself and Lorcan? Yeah, she’d agreed to a professional relationship with the guy (mostly just to shut him up), but something kept compelling her to fall back on him for emotional support. And not to mention that both of them had saved each other more than once now. Maybe that was just how friendship worked?  
“No, I know better than that…” Torianna muttered aloud. Maia shifted under her covers and sat up in her own bed. “Something the matter?” she asked. Great, now the lovesick handmaiden was looking to give advice. “Nah,” Torianna replied, but Maia didn’t seem to buy it. “That was a pretty awful lie, you know,” she teased, and Torianna rolled her eyes. “Anyway, it’s none of your concern.” she shot back, not wanting to have a heart-to-heart with her. Maia didn’t even bother to hide her disdain as she got up and started to get dressed.

Torianna sighed. Why did she always have to shut others out like this? Maia was just trying to be friendly and once again she’d turned her away. Maybe it was time to stop being such a pain to the other girl in their group.

“Lorcan said he had feelings for me yesterday,” Torianna admitted. Maia turned her head and looked at her in shock. “Wait, really?” she asked, and Torianna nodded. “That’s wonderful!” Maia replied, but Torianna wasn’t so convinced. “Yeah, if you want a boy following you around like a lost puppy,” she teased, “but I prefer my men to be independent and strong, not lovesick.”

“Ah, I can see you being like that,” Maia replied. Torianna gave her a confused look; was she judging her? “I don’t mean it in a critical way!” she clarified, “I just think you want a man that won’t rely on you too much, because you’re strong and don’t want to be burdened by him.” Torianna smirked. “Yeah, I like what you’re saying. I don’t need a man to weigh me down with his feelings.” she admitted, to which Maia chucked.

“I kind of want my boyfriends to be needy,” Maia admitted. “I like to feel appreciated.” Torianna gave her a smile. “So, you’ve had other crushes before?” she asked, and Maia blushed. “Only a couple!” she replied.

Torianna suddenly realized she was having an actual girl-to-girl talk for the first time in her life. Sure, she and Maia had exchanged thoughts before, but this was genuine casual banter about boys, not some stiff discussion about the weather or something. Network didn’t really have any female thieves, and those that were in their ranks were far beneath her in skill and prestige, so Maia was her first female peer. Talking to another girl like this was actually pretty great!

They talked casually about boys for a while before someone knocked on the door. “We’re heading out in a few minutes!” Endel called out, and surprisingly, Torianna giggled. “Sure thing, sweetie!” Maia said, and Torianna laughed out loud.

After getting dressed, both girls went downstairs to find Endel alone. “Where’s Lorcan?” Torianna asked, and Endel shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since he got up this morning. I think he wanted some fresh air.” he replied. Torianna shrugged, then got some breakfast and sat down. The three of them ate together quietly, Torianna deciding not to pester them any further about last night, before the sounds of a struggle outside caught their attention.

“Kind of early for a drunken brawl…” Endel muttered before getting up. Curious, Maia and Torianna followed him to the front door and stepped outside, where a nasty surprise waited for them.

Outside were two Networkers holding a knife to Lorcan’s throat and pulling him toward a covered wagon. “What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” Torianna yelled out, drawing her daggers, before another Networker in the wagon called out. “One step further and we slit his throat!” he said, and she stopped in her tracks. “We need your friend for a little mission!” he continued. “If you want him to keep living, I suggest you don’t follow us!”

Torianna gritted her teeth; she had no choice but to let her friend go. “I’ll kill every last one of you!” she shouted. “You hear me!?” The two men just laughed and threw Lorcan into the back of the wagon, then gagged him and put a bag over his head. “So long!” they cried out before the driver cracked the reins and sped them off.

Crumpling to the ground, Torianna’s eyes began to water. Dad- no, Darius- had taken everything from her now. She’d lost her reputation, her old life, and now the person she cared about most, all because of him. She could feel Endel and Maia looking at her with pity now, and her blood began to boil. Bottling up her frustration and hatred, she tried to stay cool as she got up.

“Torianna-” Endel began, but she held up her hand. “There’s nothing we can do, so don’t bother,” she warned. “Let’s just get to Zora’s Domain. We can figure out what to do about Lorcan later.”

\---

When the bag was pulled off his head, Lorcan had been in the wagon for several hours. He looked around to get his bearings, and saw they were in the forest. Network had mentioned a mission they needed him for, and seeing it involved his new home filled him with dread. What good could a crime syndicate possibly do out here?

One of the Networkers jerked him out of his seat, then led him out into the open. Darius was waiting for him outside, holding a leash. “In all my years as a criminal, one thing that never ceases to amaze me is how useful some wretches can be.” he said. “Today, you are finally going to help me get what I want.”

Lorcan gave him a look of confusion. “My spies tell me you’re acquainted with this forest,” Darius continued. “And it just so happens that my son is living here now. I’m in need of a tracker to find him, so how about you help me capture the boy?” Lorcan glared daggers back at him. “I’ll take that as a no, then. So be it.” Darius sighed and snapped his fingers, signalling another group of Networkers to step out from behind a bush with a bound Princess Zelda. “I’d hate to kill this poor woman, but if you refuse to help me then I really have no choice…” he warned. A subordinate pulled out a knife and Lorcan’s eyes widened.

Shaking his arms wildly, he went down on one knee and bowed his head. “There’s a good boy,” Darius said, then nodded at his underlings. They put away the knife and loaded Zelda onto the wagon. “Help me find my boy, and we’ll return Zelda safe and sound. Fail me, and I’ll send back her head in a bloody sack.”

Darius stepped closer, then tied the leash he’d been holding around Lorcan’s neck. “Can’t have you running away on me, of course.” he told him. “An animal like you belongs on a leash anyway.” Lorcan grunted angrily but allowed the collar to tighten around him. It was degrading, but at least it kept Zelda alive.

“Now, we know my son is east of here…” Darius informed him. “I trust you can find a trail to him?” Lorcan nodded, then started searching for signs of Gaou. Thankfully their prey was sloppy, and Lorcan had no trouble finding signs of the demon lord near their camp. “Let’s get moving, then.” Darius announced, and three other Networkers armed with nets and a strange collar followed them into the forest.

Lorcan immediately noticed that Darius and his cronies were making far too much noise, so he turned around and shushed them. They looked at him angrily, but nonetheless tried to stifle their movements. How was he going to find anyone with a group of noisy idiots behind him? He sighed and supposed that would be the best he was going to get from them, then moved on.

What surprised Lorcan the most was how quiet the forest was. There were no birds singing, nor the rustle of squirrels and deer in the foliage. Everything had an unsettling stillness to it aside from their own movements through the forest. Perhaps the animals had abandoned the area when Gaou moved in?

Darius had apparently caught onto the lack of life as well. “My boy must have scared off everything else…” he whispered, “He’s become strong. Hopefully he can be useful to us when we get him under control.”

Lorcan looked at Darius with disgust; how could he see his own son as an asset like that? The man didn’t seem to care about Lorcan’s objections, though, and motioned for him to keep going. He gave him one last frown, then continued on the trail. Then again, he probably shouldn’t have been surprised that a man who wanted to turn his daughter into a monster also saw his son as a means to an end. Nonetheless Darius’s indifference toward family made Lorcan’s skin crawl.

The company travelled for a bit longer before they came upon a half-eaten carcass. Why Gaou would leave such an obvious sign of his presence to them was beyond Lorcan, but he figured their prey was getting desperate. Gaou may have gotten stronger, but he probably still had Jaydon’s utter disregard for being discreet, so it may not have occurred to him that trackers could find him so easily. Putting his thoughts aside, he returned to tracking and found signs that Gaou had gone southeast of here recently.

Wondering how they were going to catch a demon lord, Lorcan pointed at the nets and strange collar. “Ah, you must think we’re in over our heads,” Darius whispered. “Don’t worry, we’ve planned for this kind of scenario. Suffice to say Kazdan will be of use to us one final time.” Lorcan wasn’t sure what that meant, but he probably wasn’t going to get any more answers, so he pressed on.

Soon enough, Lorcan found signs that Gaou was in the immediate area. Holding up his hand, he stopped the others just as he spotted their target in a clearing, reclining at a campfire. Interestingly, Gaou had only used wood that Lorcan knew wouldn’t create smoke. Pretty clever.

“He wanted us to get this far,” Darius muttered. “My son thinks we’ll walk into his trap. But we’ve come prepared.” he nodded at the men holding nets, and slowly they crept out of the clearing and toward Gaou. For a while Lorcan thought they might make it up to the demon lord successfully, but suddenly he sprang up and fired two magic missiles that skewered his attackers.

Darius and the third Networker leapt out of the bushes at Gaou, who fired more magic in their direction. Both men dodged the attacks, and Darius tackled his former son to the ground. Gaou was strong, but not strong enough, and his former father kept him pinned long enough for the other man to get the collar on their prey.

Gaou seemed to relax, then slowly got up and looked wearily at Darius. “Impressive, a control collar.” Gaou said, to which Darius nodded. “Kazdan made it for Torianna originally, but since you’ve deigned to take her place, I’ve put it on you.” he told him. Gaou held up a hand and seemed to focus, but nothing happened.

“Yes, it blocks your magic and stops you from doing anything without my say so,” Darius explained. “From now on, you won’t be messing up my plans with your delusions of grandeur. You belong to me, and will do exactly what I tell you.”

Lorcan’s anger suddenly flared beyond his control. “You’re a sick freak!” he spat, breaking his silence. Darius just laughed. “I like the sound of your voice, boy,” he told him, “angry and cruel, just like a man should be. It’s a shame you had to piss me off, otherwise I might like having you as a son-in-law.” Suddenly he flew forward, punching Lorcan hard in the stomach, causing him to double over. “Still, an animal like you needs to learn his place!” Darius continued.

Wheezing and falling to his knees, Lorcan looked up at Darius and glared at him, but didn’t say anything else. Shame welled up in him, not only because he’d broken his silence to make petty insults but also because he’d wasted them on this monster. Darius pulled him into a standing position with the leash, then led everyone back to camp. What demoralized Lorcan the most, though, wasn’t how he’d been so degraded by Darius.

It was the truth that he’d given this madman everything he needed to take over Hyrule.


	17. Chapter 17

Maia kept her distance from Torianna as they walked the rest of the way to Zora’s Domain. After getting to their carriage and seeing its horses gone, her face had turned red with a fury Maia didn’t dare agitate. Instead she decided to focus on cheering Endel up with some flirting.

“So…” Maia began, but faltered, and Endel looked at her strangely. “Um, never mind.” she blurted, thinking better. “What’s the plan?”

“We’re going to Zora’s Domain, then…” he leaned in, “...we look for Zelda…” he muttered into her ear. Maia tried not to gasp and grab Torianna’s attention, but her eyes widened nonetheless.

“What about… well…” she whispered back, but Endel shook his head. “Priorities are important here…” he muttered in reply.

“What’s all that about?” Torianna spoke up from behind, motioning at them. “Just talking about, well, last night!” Endel lied, and she smiled. “Yeah, you two lovebirds are sooo cute, maybe I should leave you with the zoras so you can honeymoon already!”

Maia jokingly pouted, then looked back to Torianna. “Maybe if you ask nicely I’ll share him with you!” Maia teased, and Torianna actually burst out laughing. “Not on your life!” she blurted, and Endel rolled his eyes at the two of them.

“I’m just going to assume that was sarcastic.” he griped. Maia giggled and held his arm.

Zora’s domain was connected to northern Lanayru by a long cave, which they were now crossing. Maia had heard the way to the throne room was actually only accessible by waterfall until recently, when King Ralis had opened sections of the domain to fishermen. Apparently it had become a respectable commercial center for all races in the past 15 years of Ralis’s reign. In response, most of the area had been updated to allow human traffic up the cliff face their home was situated around. 

“So, what are we going to tell this King Ralis?” Torianna asked. “Simple,” Endel replied, “Hyrule Castle needs his help and it would be a great time to cash in his favor.” Torianna sighed. “Do you really think this guy is gonna come to Hyrule Castle’s aid just because three weirdos in beat up leather armor told him he owes us one?”

Maia thought for a second. It was true, they didn’t look the part of royal messengers, so why would King Ralis listen to them? Didn’t they have any way to prove to the zoras who they represented? As she was thinking, Maia’s eye caught Endel’s cloak, where a Sheikah eye had been stitched into the fabric. Of course!

“Endel! You look like a Sheikah! We can use that to our advantage!” she told him. Endel looked at her, surprised, then thought for a moment. “Yeah, we can pretend to be special messengers!” Torianna added. Endel looked at her and nodded. “Ok, but I need something to say!” he told them, and they started thinking of a script to follow.

The rest of the walk to Zora’s Domain was taken up by forming a plan to win over King Ralis. Maia was surprised at how fast they reached the end of the tunnel, where they decided to wrap up their scheme so that other zora wouldn’t catch their intentions. What surprised her more, though, was the beauty of their destination.

Zora’s Domain had definitely become more accommodating in the past 15 years. Most progress up the cliff was completed by water-powered elevators and beautiful stone staircases. Houses for non-zora inhabitants had been added to holes in the cliff face while the zora homes were underwater at the basin of the waterfall. The cascading mountain of water itself left everything damp and slick, so the rock was cut rough to grip the feet of humans better and keep them from sliding off the walkways.

“It’s… beautiful!” Torianna exclaimed as the waterfall came into view. Maia was speechless. “Pretty awesome, huh?” Endel asked. “I’ve been here a couple times on missions. Network has no presence here, but wolfos like to congregate in snowpeak and bother arctic fishemen. The seafood makes it worthwhile.”

Torianna looked down at the houses along the cliffs and underwater. “Yeah, kinda hard to steal anything here…” she reasoned out loud. Maia let out a quiet sigh; some things about Torianna never changed.

They took the elevator up to the royal hall where government officials worked. Most of the people here were zora wearing impressive jewelry and insignias of King Ralis’s royal crest. They stepped into a secluded part of the hall for a moment and made sure nobody was around, then went over their plan one last time.

“Remember, Maia, you’re the cornerstone of all this. I might be Sheikah, but you have to vouch for our legitimacy.” Endel told her. Maia nodded, then went over her part of the plan in her head. This shouldn’t be too hard, but she had to be careful; conning people wasn’t her forte.

Approaching the end of the hall, Maia saw they were in a lavishly decorated cavern that doubled as a throne room. At the back was a large pool which Maia looked into and saw hundreds of busy Zora bureaucrats taking care of day-to-day responsibilities. The ones on land were handling papers and other matters that couldn’t be conducted underwater, while zora guardsmen watched over the dry and submerged parts of the cavern. One of these guards approached them.

“You bear the mark of an agent of Hyrule Castle,” she said, “What brings you to Zora’s Domain?” As planned, Maia stepped forward to answer her questions. “This man is my personal guardian.” Maia explained to her. “My friend and I are here in secret after an attack on Hyrule Castle to petition your king for aid.”

The guardswoman turned to King Ralis, then back to them. “His majesty is busy, but we have heard of Kazdan’s attack. He will be happy to make time for you.” she explained, then led them to the throne.

On the throne was a young adult zora with a glimmer in his eye that reminded Maia of Torianna. Indeed, he sat on the throne with poise, but he had a boyish aura about himself that suggested he enjoyed risk and adventure. “Welcome, servants of the goddess!” Ralis said. “I was wondering if you would come here after the attack on Hyrule Castle! However, I never expected a Sheikah with royal messengers in tow!”

“I suspected you would expect us,” Maia began, “for it is no secret that Hyrule Castle is in dire need of your help. Our water has been poisoned by the actions of Kazdan, and though he is dead, there is mending to be done that requires your expertise.”

Ralis scratched his chin for a moment. “Yes, it is true that only my zora shamans can fix your problem. And I would gladly do it to repay Princess Zelda and her kindness. However, I must ask a favor of you in return.”

“Oh?” Torianna replied. Maia looked at Endel anxiously, but he stepped forward. “As a servant of the goddess, I would be happy to do any task for the king as long as I can ensure the protection of my charges.” Ralis smiled. “Very well! It is a small task, one that will not require you to endanger yourselves.”

A Zora bureaucrat stepped forward as Ralis looked to him, then handed Maia a sheet of paper. “Squatters have been staying in an abandoned store downriver. I petitioned Zelda for a royal decree warning against squatting some time ago, but haven’t had a castle servant from her around to issue it. You have good timing, so I was hoping you could read the decree to the squatters for me.”

“I take it they aren’t armed?” Torianna asked, and Ralis shook his head. “On the contrary, our scouts have chased them off plenty of times, but without a castle official they seem to think they can just come back. If you go there and read the decree- at most you might have to rattle your swords as well- they should leave for good.”

“This should be no problem, your majesty.” Endel said. “My ladies, I hope you have no objections.” Maia was trying hard not to break character, but at least they’d already secured help for Castle Town, so messing up now shouldn’t matter as much. “I believe I speak for both of us when I say there are no objections.” she replied. It was a little awkward to cut Torianna off, but they couldn’t risk her trying to weasel out of this small job. She glared at Maia for a moment, but said nothing.

“Very good!” King Ralis exclaimed, clapping his hands. “If you go downriver you can’t miss the old storefront, it’s built over the water. I will go ahead and send my shamans to Castle Town, so you needn’t return here. May the goddess bring you good fortune!” With that, the guardswoman from earlier stepped forward and led them out of the hallway. “We’ll swim you down the waterfall and to the upper river. Hang on!”

Maia grabbed the guardswoman while Endel and Torianna chose their own zora, then with a stomach-churning leap they dove off the cliff and into the waterfall. Maia held on for dear life and tried not to scream as they swam down the torrent and into the basin below before taking off for their destination.

\---

After reaching the upper Zora River, they said goodbye to the guardswoman and her friends and made for the abandoned store. As Ralis said, it was pretty hard to miss as it was built over the river to attract customers. Endel figured the diversion of traffic into Zora’s Domain through northern Lanayru had probably killed any businesses on the riverfront, since the rapids of the waterway made it harder to navigate.

“Ok, let’s just get this over with.” Torianna said, unsheathing her daggers. Endel nodded and unslung his bow, while Maia pulled out the proclamation. “Torianna, take point while I stand in the back.” he ordered. They formed up and approached the old shop.

Endel looked around for signs of life while Torianna knocked on the door, but after a few minutes of waiting and ordering the people inside to come out they decided to kick down the door. Checking to see if it was locked first, Torianna was able to turn the doorknob but not open the door, so she gave it a good kick. The hinges gave away and the door fell back a few inches before resting on whatever had been blocking the doorway.  
At first, Endel noticed a spark travelling on the ground. Looking to the obstacle blocking the door, he saw a dead body holding a torch that had been shoved into a pile of gunpowder by the force of the kick. He then looked to the spark and saw it was moving on a trail of more gunpowder coming from a large pile of kegs.

“Retreat!” Endel ordered, and the three of them leapt off the stairs and into the river, where a net caught them. The barrels exploded, sending chunks of the house flying into the air while the rest collapsed into the river. Endel thought they were going to be crushed by the debris heading for them when a pair of arms pulled him out of the water.

Tossed aside, Endel was held down as more men saved his friends and started tying them up. “And with that, Zora’s Domain will think you’re dead. Which means they won’t come looking for you.” their apparent leader told them. Endel looked at the man’s arm and saw a Network tattoo.

“Why kidnap us now? You had your chance earlier!” Endel asked, which got a chuckle out of the Networkers. “Kidnapping? No, this is a meeting with the boss! Consider yourself lucky!” the leader told them. It still didn’t explain why they hadn’t been taken to Darius sooner, but Endel didn’t think he’d get any more answers from these scum.

As they were stood up, one of the Networkers walked over to Torianna and glared at her. “Boss has a message for you. Says you’re nothing to him now, so don’t you dare play the daughter card. Also…” he reached back and punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. “... your punishment for now has been lightened.”

Maia swore at the man, but when he raised his hand to hit her she flinched. Endel held in his rage for now, just barely. The men stood them up again, then led them to the castle waterway where a boat was waiting. Torianna was still wheezing from the punch when they threw her in the back.

“There’s a bridge a mile down the waterway. We’re meeting the boss there.” the Network leader informed them. “Oh, and your princess will be there too. We’ll be discussing the terms of her release.” Endel glared at the man. “How gracious of you.” he said curtly, then remained quiet the rest of the trip.

After getting in the boat, they paddled down the waterway for a while before coming into the sunlight again. There was a bridge ahead, and on it was a large carriage and a handful of men led by Darius. Sitting in the carriage was Princess Zelda.

Endel was glad to see the princess unharmed, but then something else caught his eye. Darius was holding a leash, and on it was a bruised and exhausted Lorcan. Looking to Torianna, Endel saw her stiffen and gaze in terror at her friend, then look back at him anxiously.

“Ah, the famous Scoundrels! We meet again!” Darius greeted them. As they were pulled out of the boat, their hands were unbound and they were taken up to the bridge. Darius continued to smile at Endel and the others with unusual warmth as they approached him. “It has occured to me that we aren’t formally acquainted. My spies tell me your leader is Endel; I’ll assume that’s you.” he continued, looking at Endel. “The girl I don’t know must be Maia, and of course I know that other wretch already.”

Sneering at Torianna for a moment, Darius returned to his unsettling smile. “As for myself, you may call me Darius Rubare. A pleasure!” Endel still couldn’t relax as Darius told his men to take Zelda out of the cart. Darius just kept smiling warmly at them (even Torianna now) as Zelda was brought to his side.

“Your bestial friend here has done me a great favor, you know. I feel as if I owe him and his friends dearly, hence my hospitality.” Darius told them. One of his henchmen cut Zelda’s bonds and let her walk forward. “As a gift, I am returning Zelda to you. No catch.” Endel sighed with relief as Zelda crossed the bridge and stood by them. “Now, my debt has been paid. Good day!” Darius concluded, and his men began to reload on the wagon.

Torianna stepped forward and shouted at them to stop. “What the hell are you doing!? Give Lorcan back!” she demanded. Darius turned to her, his smile twisted now into a smirk. “Oh, he was never part of the deal,” he told her, “he’s far too useful, so I’ll be keeping him for other purposes. He might wish he were dead eventually, but I promise to keep him alive.”

Endel had seen enough of this psychopath. He reached for his bow, but the other Networkers drew theirs quicker, so he paused. “Who the hell do you think you are!?” Endel shouted, but Darius didn’t seem threatened at all. If anything, he seemed irritated.

“The better question is, who the hell do you think YOU are?” Darius finally replied. Endel looked at him with confusion; why did the question beg to be taken so literally? “I’m an orphan turned thief, what’s your point!?” Endel asked.

“So ignorant!” Darius jeered, “You really are as dumb as your father!”

Endel had no idea what Darius was talking about. “How could you know my father? He was a castle soldier arrested for treason, he had nothing to do with you.” he shot back. Darius gave him a wicked gaze. “Your father wasn’t just any traitor… he was my traitor!” he replied.

“Years ago, I formed Network with two other men. Kazdan was our prime investor, while your father was my eyes and ears inside the castle. He sabotaged the city guard and made them weak so I could take over.” Endel’s head was spinning, but Darius continued. “I had a thing for your mother, but your father threatened to kill me when I tried to take her away. The stupid man didn’t realize that nobody talks to me that way. I made an example of him, of course.”

“Wait… you…” Endel started, but Darius cut him off. “I had him exposed for treason, and he was taken to Arbiter’s Grounds just before the Twilight Crisis shut that place down. I don’t have to tell you what happens to people in there.” He didn’t; Endel knew that the grounds were a place where men were slowly turned into monsters by the dark magic inside. His father hadn’t been a good man, but the idea that Darius sent him to such a grisly fate…

Endel could feel the hatred burning every inch of his body. “You’re a soulless lunatic.” he said flatly. Darius cackled at him, relishing his hate. “Am I!? We both steal, cheat, and lie to further our own ends! We’re both criminals, kid!” Endel snapped and ran for Darius, but Maia held him back. “Don’t you dare compare Endel to you!” Torianna yelled, but Darius waved her away. “I don’t have time to deal with trash.” he replied, then climbed up onto the carriage.

Watching Darius sit down, Endel struggled to follow him, but now Maia and Torianna were both holding him back. He gave up and sunk to the ground, tears in his eyes. He’d failed everyone. He’d failed his friends by not saving Lorcan. He’d failed himself by letting his ignorance weaken him to the truth about his father. He’d failed Zelda by getting her captured.

But now wasn’t the time to feel sorry for himself. Now was the time to act.

Turning to Zelda, Endel put himself back together. “Princess, It’s not safe here, we need to get you to Zora’s Domain.” Zelda seemed to agree. “That would be the most secure place in Hyrule right now. I can also tell you what I’ve learned from Darius on the way.” Endel didn’t imagine Zelda had any good news, but at least he’d be informed.

“Ok, let’s move out!” Endel said, trying to push away his concerns. Heading for Zora’s Domain, Endel and his friends silently hoped their friend could withstand Darius for a little longer.


	18. chapter 18

Lorcan was surprised when Darius didn’t have him hooded as they left the Scoundrels behind. Figuring they weren’t trying to obscure his destination, he got a nasty surprise when someone forced a nasty liquid down his throat. The world around him started to fade out, and the last thing he heard was the cruel laughter of Darius.

When he came to, Lorcan wasn’t sure where he was. His hands were in shackles and a blindfold covered his eyes, probably to disorient him. He could feel the itchy fabric of poor clothing on himself, so he assumed his gear had been taken and replaced with cheap rags.

It didn’t take long for him to hear a door open, followed by the footsteps of several people. Someone sat something on the ground, then came up to him and removed his blindfold.

In the room were several Networkers holding various whips, canes, and other blunt devices for administering pain. Each of them looked at him with unsettling glances, like children about to crush an insect. The object that had been placed in the room was a table with three things on it; a glass water pitcher, a plate of food, and a picture of Torianna.

“Like our little display?” one of them asked. Lorcan gazed at him warily. “Try and keep your eyes on it while we beat you senseless!”

Suddenly, one of the Networkers rushed at him and lashed his arm with his whip. He inhaled sharply, but didn’t call out. Another one punched him in the face, and the others joined in with their own implements and fists. Those that didn’t hit him physically threw insults and curses at him.

Lorcan had been through worse, but what confused him was the picture of Torianna. He looked into her eyes and felt a little more resilient to the blows of his torturers. Why were the Networkers giving him something that made his suffering more bearable?

The beating didn’t continue for too long, probably because Networkers didn’t like hitting someone that didn’t respond to their assaults. Lorcan could feel sores all over his body, but at least they hadn’t cut him. Yet.

Before leaving, one of them pulled the blindfold over his eyes again, and he was left in darkness. The image of Torianna still burned in his mind, though, and he tried to focus on her as the pain flowed through his body.

Lorcan somehow managed to fall asleep at some point, and when he woke up his blindfold was being taken off again. This time, only Darius was in the room, standing beside the table.

“Pleasant dreams?” he asked, and Lorcan nodded cautiously. “Good,” Darius said, “it’s important to remain hopeful in these desperate times.” he turned to the table and picked up a piece of food on the plate. “Hungry? Thirsty? I would imagine so.” Lorcan nodded cautiously again, and Darius let out a soft chuckle.

“Unfortunately, I can’t oblige you,” he explained, then put the food down. “First you must answer some questions for me.”

Lorcan glared at him angrily, but that seemed to delight Darius even more, so he tried to stop. This man wasn’t going to get the pleasure of teasing out his hatred.

“Now,” Darius continued, “You’ve already given me my son back, but there is one more loose end I need to account for. Your organization, the Scoundrels of Virtue, is no longer in Castle Town. I know your base was destroyed, but we can’t find the corpses of Ashei and Telma or confirm their deaths. So my question is simple: where are they?”

Lorcan looked at him defiantly. Even if he could speak, he had no intention of giving anything else to this lunatic. Darius waited a moment to see if he would speak, then sighed.

Walking over to the table again, he picked up the pitcher this time. It’s contents sloshed within, reminding Lorcan of how thirsty he was. “I don’t believe in gruesome torture, you know.” Darius explained. “I have no intention of maiming you or scarring your body. However, I need you to talk, and that means giving you incentive to do so.” He tapped the pitcher with his finger. “Talk, and you get water. Tell me something that I confirm to be true, and you get food. Serve me faithfully, and you get Torianna.”

Lorcan stared at the water in the pitcher. So that was Darius’s game: psychological torture. Keep your conscience clean by avoiding as much physical pain as possible, but destroy your enemies’ mind. Now the methods Darius had used on Torianna made more sense.

“I’m not a scoundrel like Kazdan. I’m far more reasonable.” Darius said. Lorcan desperately wanted to tell him otherwise, but couldn’t get the words out. “I’ll be back tomorrow, so try and work up the nerve to say something.” With one last dirty look, Darius put the blindfold back over his head and left.

\---

Maia and the others didn’t have a big enough boat to travel upstream to the upper Zora River, so they resorted to re-treading the path they’d previously used to get to Zora’s Domain. She felt bad that Zelda had to make the trip in her stiff royal garb and offered her an extra pair of her shoes, to which the princess silently consented.

“I still want to serve your highness in any way I can,” Maia told her, trying to rekindle their old friendship, but Zelda simply gave her a small smile. “You’re so different from the Maia I knew.” she said, then put a hand on her shoulder. “Being a handmaiden is beyond you now. You’ve become your own master, and it is important that you embrace that.”

A sadness crept into Maia’s conscience when she heard the princess say that. It wasn’t that she thought she could return to Zelda: she’d abandoned being a servant girl again long ago. She just hadn’t realized how dead that possibility was. Even worse, she didn’t know what to be now that both Hyrule Castle and The Scoundrels of Virtue weren’t an option for her. And what would Endel do for that matter?

Maia could feel anxiety welling up inside her head, but she wasn’t going to let it overwhelm her. Her heart was tougher now, and she could take the fear and uncertainty ahead of her. Not only did she have Endel now, but she also had the new Maia and all of her skills. Being the improved person she was now, and with Endel at her back, things would work out. Thieves and scoundrels did have uncanny luck, after all.

She caught up with Endel and gave him a playful tap on the shoulder. He looked at her for a moment before his gaze wandered off again. Maia gave an audible groan. “You’re not yourself when you act all moody like this.” she told him.

Endel slumped his shoulders a bit and exhaled. “Can’t get Darius off my mind…” he said darkly. “Everything he said is just scrambling my brains and making it hard to think.”

Maia looked forward. “Hearing Darius compare you to him must have been jarring, especially because you know your father worked with him. But you’re not Darius. The choices you’ve made in life differ from his, and they made you a better person. No matter what Darius or your dad have done, you’re still Endel.”

Looking back at Endel, Maia saw he was meeting her gaze. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m my own man, and destiny is taking me down a different road than Darius or my dad.” Maia smiled and wrapped her arm around his waist. She loved how well she could break Endel out of a bad mood.

“If you two are done being all mushy, Zelda and I want to point out that we’re nearly at the cave!” Torianna called out. Endel looked up, then back at her. “Thanks! Might have missed a giant hole in the mountain if I wasn’t careful!” he replied sarcastically, and Torianna groaned. Maia felt sorry for her since Lorcan wasn’t here, so she decided not to flirt with Endel any more and make her friend jealous. They all spent the rest of the trip making light conversation.

After they arrived at Zora’s Domain, they spent a moment clarifying the situation with Zelda. “King Ralis thinks we’re your royal messengers, so we have to play along with that misunderstanding,” Maia explained. Endel stepped forward to clarify. “We’ll explain that we need a safe place to keep you until this crisis blows over,” he told the princess, and she politely agreed with him.

Following the same path up the cliff, Maia was glad to see there weren’t many others along the way. Those that they did encounter stared in wonder at Princess Zelda, occasionally bowing out of respect but saying nothing. When they got to the royal hallway, zora guards insisted on accompanying her to the throne out of reverence. When they got to Ralis, a small crowd was with them.

“Well, this is a surprise!” Ralis said, leaning forward with eyes widened. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your majesty?”

“I am in dire need of your assistance once again,” Zelda told him, “I am fleeing from organized criminals and seek asylum in your domain. Your assistance in securing me would be greatly appreciated.”

Ralis gave her a warm smile. “Of course! My people shall see to it that you are protected in Zora’s Domain. Your servants may also rest here for the night!” Torianna seemed to fidget for a moment, but held her tongue. “Guards, you may show the hylians to the royal guest’s chambers.” Ralis dismissed them to return to his duties, and Maia followed the others out of the throne room.

Their sleeping quarters were in a small manor on the cliff overlooking Zora’s Domain. It was decorated lavishly in zora architecture and had rooms for Zelda and a number of royal attendants. Rather than doubling up, they each chose a room and unloaded their belongings. Before they could turn in, however, Zelda took them aside for a moment.

“I promised I would tell you what I learned from Kazdan, remember?” she asked. Maia nodded, remembering that Zelda was going to tell them something on the way here. “I planned to tell you sooner, but I didn’t want to bother you while your minds were elsewhere. I know only one thing Darius revealed to me, but it is extremely important. He… has recaptured Gaou, with the help of Lorcan. That is why your friend was kidnapped.”

Torianna’s eyes widened. “That idiot! Why did he help Darius do something so stupid?” Zelda held up a hand to stop her. “He did so to save my life. Had he refused, your father would have killed me.” Torianna clenched her fists, but said nothing else. “I do not know what Network plans to do with Gaou, but it seems you will have to deal with him eventually in your quest to stop Darius. Be very careful.” Zelda warned.

“We will. Thank you, princess.” Endel told her. “Well, let’s get to bed. In the morning we’ll figure out where Lorcan might be.” Torianna looked like she wanted to say something else, but walked away and locked herself in her room. Maia sighed and went to get some rest as well. She hoped Lorcan wasn’t suffering too much.

\---

Lorcan didn’t get any sleep last night. That morning, some Networkers came into his cell to eat. They threw rotten food and bones at him while mocking his thirst and hunger. Lorcan still couldn’t see, but the smell of food and the sound of water being poured was driving him mad. When the crowd left, the scent of their breakfast hung in the air and tormented him further.

After a few hours, someone came in and lifted his blindfold. It was Darius again. “Sleep well?” he asked, mocking Lorcan. “I’ve come to help you make a decision!” Suddenly Darius gave Lorcan a punch to the gut so strong it caused him to retch. As he lost what little he still had in his stomach, Darius stood over him, smirking.  
“I’m going to come down here every hour and beat you until you puke again,” he explained. “In the meantime, I want you to be thinking of something useful to say.”

Yanking the blindfold back over Lorcan’s eyes, Darius got up and left. His body was still convulsing from the retching, and he felt unusually cold. Darius had probably left him in poor hygienic condition so he’d get sick. Lorcan then realized why this psychopath was interrogating him so slowly; the information didn’t matter as much as the end result of the trauma. And that end result was almost certainly death.

Every hour Darius would come back in and hit Lorcan in the stomach until he retched again. The sessions took longer and longer, until finally Lorcan could only dry heave and Darius would slap and insult him. And each time, in a fit of desperation, Lorcan would look at the picture of Torianna for strength, but even that was failing him now. He suspected that was the point of it: to make sure he used all his energy trying to survive for Torianna. Well, soon enough Darius would get what he wanted, so it certainly worked.

Late that afternoon, Darius came in the room one more time. Lorcan was shaking as he stood over him. That was when it happened; his selective mutism failed him, and in an attempt to save his life he told everything.

“The Scoundrels of Virtue are disbanded! That’s why you can’t find them!” he wheezed out. “Please, I need water! Have mercy on me!”

Darius let out a chuckle, then broke into maniacal laughter. Picking up the water pitcher, he emptied its contents on Lorcan’s head. He tried to catch some of it in his mouth, but it was barely enough to wet his tongue.

“Water indeed! A whole pitcher of it for the traitorous Scoundrel!” Darius said, then let out another laugh. “I’ll follow up on your confession later, preferably after you’ve died. Goodbye, you wretched freak!” He gave him one last punch, then left and locked the door behind him.

Lorcan’s brain was barely working right now, but the one thing he could feel clearly was shame. Slumping against the wall, he quietly waited for thirst to kill him.

\---

Endel got up early the next morning and found everyone, Zelda included, was waiting on him. “Did I sleep in?” he joked, and joined the group when he got no reply. Apparently Torianna was about to say something.

“I know where Darius is keeping Lorcan.” she explained. “Network only has a handful of bases outside the major towns, and the only one of those that houses prisoners is in Eldin. Specifically, Death Mountain. Darius uses it for people he wants to… interrogate.”  
“It’s our best guess, that’s for sure.” Maia added. Torianna gave her a nod. “It’s on a hidden path inside a small canyon halfway between the mountain and Kakariko. It’s hard for them to keep lookout on the cliffs, but easy for them to defend. The problem isn’t going to be the approach, but the infiltration.”

“So we need to smoke them out.” Endel suggested. “Good thing we’re passing through Kakariko. We’ll pick up some incendiary bombs.”

“Thankfully Lorcan will be in the basement, I remember that much about the layout of the place,” Torianna added. “So yeah, fire it is.”

“I trust your friend is still alive?” Zelda asked. Torianna looked at the ground and clenched her fists. “Darius has been interrogating him for about twelve hours, but his methods are, er, unorthodox.”

“What do you mean?” Maia asked. Torianna seemed to choose her words very carefully. “Darius was captured and tortured as a young man by a rival organization. They used knives and needles to scar him and inflict pain, so now he can barely look at a sharp object without getting uncomfortable. So he doesn’t use blades and the like to interrogate; instead he uses blunt objects and lots of psychological torture.”

“Kind of like what he did to you in your room?” Endel asked, and Torianna nodded. “He’s convinced himself that breaking a person’s mind by unraveling it is the best torture. He also likes to rely on hunger, disease, and thirst to kill a person. One time we fed a man brine and salt until he dried up in a couple days.”

Endel shivered. “So he likes to let people die of natural causes…” he thought aloud. “Darius convinces himself he’s guilt-free that way,” Torianna told him. Whatever the case, they needed to hurry before Lorcan caught some illness and died on the way to a doctor.

“So, time is more precious than we thought,” Endel concluded. “Let’s wrap up here and get on the road.”

Saying goodbye to Princess Zelda, they descended the cliff and tried to find a fast way to Kakariko. Luckily some fishermen were taking their catches there, so Endel and the others nestled between salted fish barrels and hitchhiked to Kakariko. Not wanting to talk about a heist in earshot of the merchants, they made casual conversation with their drivers until reaching the city.

After seeing their ride off, Endel led the group through Kakariko to the bomb shop. Passing by a general store, Torianna paused for a moment. “I’m gonna restock on rope and a few other things. You two can get the bombs.” Endel watched her go into the store, then shrugged. “She can be so… spontaneous,” Maia ruminated, and Endel agreed. Still, they did need rope, and splitting up would be quicker, so he just let it be and continued up the hill to the bomb store. Inside, he began to browse the merchandise when an odd man came up to them.

“Welcome to Barnes’ Bombs!” he said. “The name’s Barnes, and I’ve got every kinda bomb you’d ever want!”

“We need a few incendiary bombs.” Endel said bluntly. The insincere hospitality was already getting to him, but he wasn’t about to steal from a poor merchant all the way out here.

Barnes held up a finger, then began rummaging through a case filled with all kinds of odd explosives. After a few minutes of mumbling and cursing, he pulled out a half dozen glass bottles filled with liquid and plugged with a flammable rag.

“These’re my own invention! The Barnes Sour Special, I call ‘em!” Barnes seemed especially proud of himself for inventing what looked like gasoline in a bottle. “The bottle is filled with special, extremely flammable fuel, and I soaked this here rag in slow-burning kerosine. Light the rag, toss the bottle, and…” he made an exaggerated explosion sound “...fireball, baby!”

“Will it catch fire to wood?” Maia asked. Barnes gave a big smile and nodded. “It’ll catch fire to anything! The fuel burns for several minutes on its own, kid!”

“Excellent!” Endel said, trying to show more interest now. “One more thing, we’re gonna need three or so dynamite charges. Actually, throw in some smoke bombs too.”

Barnes rubbed his hands together. “You kids are makin’ my day! Come on over to the counter and I’ll wrap up your goodies!”

Thankfully, Zelda had given them lots of money earlier that morning, and Maia paid Barnes for the bombs with some of it before they took their goods back to Torianna. Spotting her at the base of the Death Mountain trail, Endel and Maia realized Torianna was holding more than just new rope. Endel couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw a sledgehammer.

“Took you long enough!” Torianna called out as they approached. Maia looked at her in disbelief. “How much did all of that cost?” she asked, and Torianna snickered. “Gotta be prepared, so I bought rope, stakes, arrows for Endel, and this sledgehammer to break down doors!”

Endel had never seen Torianna be so shrewd before. “Good initiative!” he praised her, “You can catch us up on your plan for all this stuff on the way.”

As they made their way to the base, Torianna explained her plans and incorporated Endel’s bombs into the mix. “First off, we have to smoke them out. We’ll use the specials and the smoke bombs for that.” Torianna planned aloud.  
“I was thinking we could use the dynamite to trap them in the canyon.” Endel told her. Torianna’s face lit up. “Perfect! Set that off after we smoke them out. If they hear an explosion outside they won’t come running out of the base.”

Torianna handed Endel the quiver. “Hope you don’t have any qualms about feathering Networkers?” she asked. He had to admit it wasn’t something he looked forward to, but these men had chosen their side, and he’d have to accept that there was no other way. Endel shook his head.

“Ok, so you’ll stay on the cliff to set off the charges and take out Networkers. Maia, you and I are gonna get Lorcan.” Torianna continued; Maia agreed to the idea. Apparently, there was a back door they could use to get in without drawing attention to themselves (Torianna thought only a couple Networkers would use it when they torched the place, and these men could be easily dispatched), and it allowed them to avoid Darius as well.

“What do we do if Gaou is in there?” Endel asked. It was a fair question in his opinion, though it might mean failure if the demon lord really was an obstacle. Torianna faltered for a moment to think before replying. “If we see Gaou, I’ll stall him while Maia gets Lorcan. It’s the best we can do.” Endel was satisfied with the idea and posed no more questions.

Eventually they came upon a rare thicket on the trail, which apparently covered the canyon road to the base. Torianna had brought climbing equipment, and dispersed it to Endel and Maia. Endel had to admit, Torianna could probably out prepare him when she put her mind to things.

Climbing the wall, Endel kept an eye out for watchmen but saw no-one. Darius must’ve relied on the seclusion of his base to keep people out rather than a tight guard. “Isn’t there a better place to climb?” Endel asked, and Torianna glared at him. “We might as well get it over with! And we don’t know if the trail is as unguarded further on!” she argued back. Endel decided not to pester Torianna with any more small criticisms and kept climbing.

After reaching the top of the canyon cliff, Endel and the others moved cautiously along the edge while looking for Network. Eventually they spotted some watchmen on the road below, and decided to pass them by so as not to blow their cover. Thinking ahead, Endel put the dynamite charges at a large cliffside boulder and set the fuse so he could light it quickly later. They travelled a few more yards until they came to the Network base.

The building was a decently sized wooden structure nestled in a wide point in the canyon. There was enough room around the base for a dozen or so men to congregate, and behind the base were a few more yards of canyon terminating in a collapsed wall. Most importantly, though, the walls had glass windows they could throw firebombs into.

“Ok, Maia and I are going to lay some rope down so we can get back up with Lorcan.” Torianna whispered. “Endel, when we firebomb the place, you have to light the fuse on the dynamite and run back here as fast as you can! Then stay on the cliff and cover us with arrows.”

“Got it!” Endel whispered back. “Good luck!” Torianna smiled, then drove a stake into the ground and tied a rope to it. Maia reached into her backpack and pulled out the bombs. When the rope was secure, she handed some to Torianna.

With everything in place, Endel said a quick prayer and started running back to the dynamite. All that was left was to hope the gods would smile on them.

\---

When Torianna threw the first firebomb, she expected some sort of explosion that would disturb the Networkers inside. But when the bomb crashed through the window and broke on the floor, it smeared a trail of fire in the main lobby that led to cries of astonishment and anger within. Maia followed it up with a smoke bomb, and soon the windows were torn open to let out the smoke and odor of flames.

Both girls exhausted their supplies, then made for the ropes on the back end of the canyon when an explosion rocked the earth. Endel had bombed the cliff, and now he was running back to the base with his bow out and an arrow nocked.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Torianna and Maia slid down the rope and took out the Networkers at the back door who tried to stop them. Back against the rear of the house, Torianna waved Maia over and they slipped into the base together.

Inside was complete chaos, but Torianna knew the base’s layout and guided Maia deep into the basement level. “How do you know this place so well?” she asked, and Torianna didn’t bother hiding the answer. “You know that story about the guy that got fed salt and brine? I did that for Darius once.” Torianna could feel the disgust Maia felt at her, but didn’t let it bother her as she pulled out the sledgehammer. The tool knocked the metal door in front of them off its hinges with ease.

Inside the dungeon was a table with a photograph on it. Staring at the photo was a ragged, gaunt Lorcan. Torianna figured they could feel sorry for him later and pushed away her concern and outrage, then lifted the sledgehammer again. Lorcan cowered for a moment, but Torianna brought it down on the wall where his shackles were nailed, setting him free. “Maia, get us out of here! I’ll handle Lorcan!” Torianna shouted, then carefully hoisted Lorcan onto her back.

They looked around for an alternate escape, but the room only had one door, and shouts from above told them someone was coming for them. Suddenly Lorcan was tugging on Torianna’s sleeve; getting her attention, he pointed to a small window at the top of the far wall. Torianna gave a sigh of relief, then set a chair under the window so they could scramble out. Lorcan went first, then Maia, and finally Torianna slid out the window frame just as someone stormed into the dungeon. She heard the shouting of Darius as they ran for the escape rope.

Endel was furiously sniping any Networker that dared exit the front door, so they started pouring out the back to intercept Torianna’s group. Maia fought them off as Torianna led them to the rope, but one Networker landed a nasty cut on Maia’s side. “Get out of here!” Torianna ordered, and she retreated up the rope. “Lorcan! Start climbing!” Torianna added. Lorcan tried to climb the rope, but was too weak. With a heavy groan, Torianna skewered one more Networker and put him on her back, then started climbing.

All the other Networkers were either in the base or dead thanks to Endel, but there was a roar as Darius burst out of the main entrance, large sword in hand. “I’LL SKEWER THE LOT OF YOU!” he bellowed, then ran at the escape rope. Maia was already back on the cliff where Endel was treating her wound, but Torianna and Lorcan were only a third of the way up when Darius started to climb after them. “We need cover!” Torianna shouted, but their rope was hanging from a deep rut in the canyon, and Endel couldn’t get a good angle for a shot by the time he’d gotten to his bow.

Darius was bearing down on them, and in a fit of terror, Lorcan swung the chan still attached to his wrist at him. Darius lost his sword when he tried to deflect the chain, but managed to grab the flailing end in his disarmed hand. Lorcan began howling and swinging the chain connecting them wildly, but this only got him nearly pulled off Torianna by Darius. Their enemy was getting closer and closer as Lorcan failed to do anything about it.

It might have been the adrenaline, or just the hatred Torianna had for her father, but something woke up in her that made her desperate to climb down the rope and finish Darius off. Unable to let go of the chain or retreat, Darius swung the hand holding the chain at Torianna but missed. With a roar, she brought the heel of her boot down on his nose, breaking it in a gruesome crunch. With a second kick that connected with his head, Torianna knocked Darius out cold, sending him falling to the floor of the canyon. He landed with a nasty snap, and when Torianna looked down she saw his leg had collided with a rock and broken. With a sigh of relief, she finished the climb and joined her friends.

Before Torianna could say anything, there was a horrible sound of splintering wood that drew everyone’s attention back to the Network base. The fire had compromised it, and now the building was collapsing on top of any Networkers that might chase after them. They were now in the clear.

“Good riddance!” Torianna said, and spat over the cliff into the ruins of the building. She turned to look at Lorcan and Maia, both sporting injuries that would make the return trip difficult. “I’ll carry Maia if you carry Lorcan,” Endel offered, and with a sarcastic groan she put Lorcan on her back again. Network was bleeding hard today, and it was all because of her.


	19. Chapter 19

Maia tried not to complain as the pain of her wound seeped through her body. She was on Endel’s back, but each step he took provoked every nerve in her side to cry out. Perhaps she should consider herself lucky that the cut wasn’t any deeper, since that would mean damage to her internal organs. Nonetheless, she was suffering pretty badly, and it took all her focus to not cry out and disturb Endel and Torianna’s focus.

“Hang in there, you two,” Endel encouraged them. Lorcan let out a soft moan; he’d fallen unconscious a few times already and was in considerably worse shape than Maia. Torianna was showing unusual prudence in not questioning him, and Maia had to respect that.

Her thoughts turned to infiltrating the base earlier, when Torianna had told her she once tortured and killed a man there years ago. At first a faint disgust with Torianna’s cruelty bubbled up, and she found herself struggling not to call her a monster. But then she started to dissociate Torianna’s past from the girl she knew now, focusing on their current relationship rather than the old, strained one. In light of that, Maia no longer felt fear or revulsion for her, just pity and understanding. The old Torianna was dead to her, and the new one was her friend.

When they reached the cliff they’d climbed at the side of the main road, Endel descended with Maia on his back while Torianna carried Lorcan. Maia felt something trickling down her side, and when she looked down the gauze they’d used on her wound was soaked with blood. “Damn it!” Endel cursed, setting Maia down and pulling out more bandages. “Sorry we can’t do better…” he told her, then tried to wrap a strand of thick fabric with gauze underneath around her waist. It hurt even worse at first, but her body started going numb around the wound after a few minutes.

“My temperature is dropping at least…” Maia told them, and Torianna looked at her with concern but said nothing; why was she so worried? Then Maia remembered that decreased body temperature was a sign of shock, meaning her wounds were worse than she’d suspected. It didn’t take long after that for the light-headedness to kick in, and Maia had to fight to stay conscious. Just a little longer, and they’d be in Kakariko.

“Ma… ha… ok?” Endel said something, but the words kept fading out. The world around her was spinning and wobbling, but she could make out the buildings of Kakariko. Suddenly she lost her grip on Endel, and everything went dark.

\---

Torianna couldn’t catch Maia as she fell off Endel’s back and hit the ground. He cursed, then picked her up and ran for Renado’s temple. Torianna decided Lorcan needed a bed and took him to the building they’d stayed in before. Renado’s daughter, Luda, was there cleaning the bedrooms when Torianna busted in.

“Can I help- oh!” the woman stopped herself. She was older than Torianna, but didn’t seem a day over eighteen. “Put him on the bed, I’ll fetch some food and water!” she instructed before leaving the room. Torianna sat down on the bed and let Lorcan crawl into a resting position. She had to keep him awake so he could eat, but didn’t want to pester him about what he’d been through, so she awkwardly tried to make casual conversation.

“Man, I hope I look as young as Luda when I’m in my late twenties…” She joked. Lorcan put his hand on hers and smiled. “Yeah, yeah, you think I’m pretty no matter how I look. I figured that.” She teased. He let out a weak chuckle, but then began to wheeze. It probably wasn’t a good idea to make him laugh.

Luda came back in the room with water and bread. “He’s dehydrated, but we can’t give him too much water or he’ll throw up the food still in his body.” she told them. Lorcan rubbed his stomach, then made a motion of retching with his hands and mouth. “I think Lorcan was forced to throw up everything in his system already.” Torianna said. She left out the part where that was probably done to torture him.

“Very well, if he’s emptied his stomach then we should be alright,” Luda reasoned, then poured him a glass of water. Lorcan gulped it down fast, and as they’d suspected he had nothing to throw up, so he didn’t have any complications. Luda poured him another glass and he gulped it down again.

“This bread is a little plain, but it has a lot of vitamins and nutrients in it,” Luda explained, “Try to eat it with a sip of water so it goes down easier.” Lorcan did as he was told, and some of the color seemed to come back to his face. “We think he may be sick as well,” Torianna added. Luda nodded and started looking him over for signs of illness. “He seems to be alright, but he’s extremely unclean. I’ll have my father stop by and-”

“He’s dealing with my other friend.” Torianna interjected. “I don’t want her dying because she didn’t get the care she needed. I’ll take care of him.”

Luda stared at her for a moment, then relented. “We have clean sleeping gowns in the wardrobe and a bucket with soap and water in the kitchen. Make sure he keeps eating and drinking. And of course, let me know if you need anything.” she then excused herself, and Torianna was alone with Lorcan.

“Let’s get this over with…” She muttered. First, she removed the nasty rags he’d been forced to wear, and began to wash him with the wet cloth and water Luda told her about. “Don’t get too excited, monkey boy... And ugh, you really do look like a monkey...” Torianna muttered, but he said nothing. The food was probably making him too nauseous to respond anyway. After cleaning him, she covered him in a blanket and set a clean sleeping gown beside his bed. At least she’d cleaned a boy that had no way of telling anyone else about it.

Lorcan had fallen asleep in the middle of her caring for him, so she stayed by his side and made sure he didn’t wake up in a panic. Taking care of him wasn’t her idea way of showing affection, but maybe if she acted a little more tender like this he’d stop being so lovesick for her. She didn’t mind that Lorcan liked her- actually, she liked him too- but like she’d told him, lovey-dovey malarkey wasn’t her style. After he got better, things would go back to being professional.

Eventually Torianna heard someone walking down the hall, and when the door opened Endel stepped inside. “How’s Lorcan?” he asked. Torianna gave a casual shrug. “Luda and I fed him and made sure he wasn’t sick, so I don’t think he’s gonna die or anything.” she replied. Endel gave Lorcan a quick look over; if he noticed how much cleaner he was, he didn’t say it.

“How’s Maia?” Torianna asked hurriedly. Endel stepped away from Lorcan and looked at her. “Renado did some praying and closed the wound with stitches and medicine. She lost a lot of blood, but one of his potions is fixing that now. Thank the goddess for chu jelly.” Torianna let out a sigh of relief. “We’re gonna be here for a few days, aren’t we?” she asked. “Yeah…” Endel said. “Darius probably isn’t dead, and he’ll be rescued by any survivors of the raid, but at least Network is just as broken as we are now.”

Torianna thought about their situation. Network would be leaderless while Darius recovered, and since he’d made his organization so centralized these past few years his underlings probably had no idea what to do. Someone might try and take command, but since the upper management was all fiercely loyal to their boss any coups would probably be crushed. And Network was big, but it wasn’t so big that losing their two biggest headquarters wouldn’t seriously set them back.

“Everything hinges on Gaou,” Torianna stated out loud. “If Network gets him to cooperate they’ll control Hyrule with an iron fist.” Endel crossed his arms and scowled. “We need to kill him, there’s no other way.” he said darkly. Torianna looked at him, then nodded in agreement.

“That being said, I have no idea how to kill a demon lord…” Endel admitted. Torianna thought about it for a moment. She stared off into the distance, then Endel’s bow caught her attention. Of course!

“You never quite explained where you got that old bow from. Something about an old guy handing out weapons under Hyrule Castle?” Torianna asked. Endel’s expression lit up. “Yeah! The Advisor! He’s bound to have an idea of where we can go next!”

Torianna cocked her eye at Endel. “Why exactly is he staying down there? And is he gonna make us all worship Hylia like you do?”

“I honestly have no idea- on both counts- but could it really hurt to visit him? Don’t you trust me?” Endel pleaded. Torianna leaned her head back and let out a big sigh. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I’m not going to get down and pray to Hylia and her buddies when they’ve screwed me over all this time!”

“But-” Endel started, but Torianna held up her hand. “Look, maybe you can forgive the gods for your crappy life, but I can’t. They gave me Darius, they made me do unforgivable things, they almost took Lorcan away… I’m not gonna worship them for all that. Sorry.”

Endel glared at her. “The way I look at it, you can either get over what Darius did to you and try to live for something bigger than yourself, or you can stay mad at the world and end up like your dad. It’s your choice.” he bitterly spat, then turned around and left. Furious, Torianna picked up one of Lorcan’s cups and hurled it at the doorway, but Endel was gone before it could hit him, and it shattered against the wall.

Damn him! Damn him for being an insensitive prick! Who the hell did he think he was, telling her she’d end up like Darius!? Torianna wanted to scream, but held herself back out of respect for Lorcan. Taking deep breaths, she sat down in a chair and crossed her arms and legs.

She didn’t owe anything to the gods. She’d never worship them, that much was obvious. But Endel was right, if she kept hating the world like this she’d end up like the man she hated most. There had to be some other way out of this. Looking back at Lorcan, she started to think. She was going to break the hatred in her heart, and she was going to do it herself.

After sitting for a few hours and making no progress, Torianna felt completely exhausted. Her mind was too clouded by her anger at Endel, and that was making it hard to focus. With another deep sigh, she got up and fed Lorcan one last time, then went to the room she’d be sharing with Maia. She was probably still recovering in the temple, though, so it’d be a night alone.

Trying to get over her bitterness at Endel, she laid her head on the the pillow and focused on more positive things. Maia was recovering, Lorcan was still alive… maybe she did have some things to be thankful for. For just a second she resolved to pray, but thought better of it. “Cut it out, Torianna, nobody’s listening,” she chided herself, then fell into a troubled sleep.

\---

Lorcan spent the next week in and out of consciousness. He saw Torianna and Endel the most, but later Maia started showing up as well. He vaguely remembered she’d been injured in the fight to rescue him, so he resolved to thank her later.

“Looking good, buddy!” Endel told him one day as he sat up in bed. Torianna and Maia were off having breakfast with Luda, so he was taking care of him for now. Endel gently squeezed his arm. “You’re feeling strong enough to cut Darius in half!” he joked.

Darius! Lorcan had forgotten about everything he’d done to help him. Endel probably knew about helping capture Gaou, but nobody else was aware he’d talked about Ashei and Telma. Network knew that the Scoundrels of Virtue were gone because of him!

Lorcan quickly motioned for something to write with. Endel looked at him strangely but obliged, handing him a chalk and slate. Lorcan was going to go ahead and admit to his failure, even if it meant losing his friends’ trust. He wrote a quick confession, then handed the slate to Endel.

“Hmmm, ‘Darius tortured me for information.’ Torianna said that was probably the case, don’t worry about it!” Endel assured him. Lorcan sighed and took the slate back, then wrote the second part down and handed it to Endel again.

“Oh, no… ‘he knows we’re the last Scoundrels of Virtue,’ blast it!” Endel said. He looked at Lorcan, his face unreadable. “He was going to find out sooner or later anyway. And if he underestimates us now, we can use that to our advantage. Don’t worry about it, Lorcan.”

Lorcan stared at Endel in shock; given how he’d handled Torianna’s actions in the past, he expected to get an earful about betraying the Scoundrels. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, he smiled at Endel as a way of showing thanks.

“I’ll withhold what you told me from the others, don’t worry,” Endel assured Lorcan. “For now, get your rest. We need you in fighting condition, Lorcan.” He gave him one last pat on the shoulder, then left.

That afternoon Maia was taking care of him. He pointed to her side, curious about her wound, and she smiled. “It’s nothing,” she assured him, “I’m just glad you’re safe!”

Suddenly a strange feeling welled up in Lorcan, not unlike the ones he’d felt before that compelled him to speak. This one, however, felt positive, not angry or desperate like before. It was a sense of self-comfort and encouragement, and before he realized it he was speaking.

“Thank you, Maia.” he said. Realizing what he’d done, he brought his hands to his mouth and blushed. Maia looked at him in amazement and bolted out of the room.

At first Lorcan thought he’d terrified Maia, but then he heard her calling for the others. “Lorcan spoke!” she called out, searching for the others. Soon Endel and Torianna were running into the room behind Maia, wide-eyed. Lorcan felt like he was going to die of embarrassment.

“Forest boy spoke! I can’t believe it!” Torianna exclaimed. “Calm down, that was probably hard for him.” Endel rebuked them, then stepped forward. “You’re improving in more ways that one, it seems. Congratulations!”

Everyone congratulated him and asked how it felt to talk, but he just blushed harder and withered away. Soon they realized he wouldn’t be saying anything else and excused themselves, letting him get his rest.

Lorcan couldn’t help but think that sometimes, accepting your accomplishments was harder than admitting your mistakes. Or at least, that was the case when you had friends like his.

\---

After a few more days, Endel came into Lorcan’s room one morning to find him walking around and packing a bag of equipment. He joined in, and together they collected what they could find in Kakariko and got him re-equipped. They weren’t able to retrieve his old armor from the Network base, but Lorcan didn’t seem to mind.

“If you’re good to go, we can head to Castle Town today,” Endel suggested, and Lorcan agreed to a meeting today to discuss their next objective. They gathered the others, then Endel started the discussion.

“Lorcan is healthy enough to go to Castle Town,” Endel announced. Maia and Torianna looked at Lorcan, who nodded to confirm. “I think our next objective should be a citywide sweep for information, then a trip to Hyrule Castle.” Endel suggested.

“Ugh, you really want to find your weird underground buddy, huh?” Torianna groaned, then rolled her eyes. Endel glared at her. “He knows everything that goes on in Hyrule, so at the very least you could see it as a step toward stopping Gaou.” he told her bluntly. Torianna glared back but said nothing else, so he continued.

“As Torianna mentioned, there’s an old… person living below the castle called The Advisor. He’s the reason I’m alive, and also the one who gave me my bow.” Endel said. Maia cocked her head and looked at him skeptically. “It is a very nice bow, and useful at that, but why would he be able to help us again?” she asked. “I don’t know how, but he’s very informed,” Endel explained. “He knew my name, Kazdan’s too, and he said he had his ways of knowing things. Honestly, he’s the best lead we have right now.”

Maia and Lorcan came around to Endel’s idea, but Torianna just pouted. “I’ll go, but if you make me start saying prayers I’m leaving!” she warned. Endel figured that was the best consent he was going to get.

“Lorcan and I have already packed, so you two need to get your stuff together,” he said, pointing to the girls. “Let’s try and leave before mid-morning!” Maia and Torianna left to get their things, and Endel looked off toward Hyrule Castle. Destiny was calling, and he was going to heed it, whether Torianna wanted to or not.


	20. Chapter 20

The trip to Castle Town was slow, not only because they didn’t have a carriage but also since Maia and Lorcan needed to rest occasionally. By the time they got to the city gates it was already early afternoon.

“This should go faster if we split up…” Endel figured, “There’s four of us and four branches of town. Maia, you scout the castle. Lorcan, you can look in the west side of town. Torianna, snoop around town square and the south branch. I’ll be in the east, or at least what’s left of it.” Endel figured the damage from Kazdan had been cleared by now, but the roads over their former base were probably still collapsed. He wanted to visit the ruins for a more personal reason anyway…

They reached the center of town to find it bustling and lively. Apparently people had gotten over the recent crises and returned to normal lives, but there was always gossip to eavesdrop. “Ok everyone, let’s move out!” he ordered, and they split up to go in their own directions.

Heading east, Endel found the collapsed road through town had been roped off, but the rubble had been cleared away, exposing the ravaged underworks he’d called home. Kazdan’s rampage had collapsed the central convergence point of the tunnels, taking the road and a few houses with it, as well as destroying most of the passage to their main entrance in the doctor’s office. They’d probably never move back in even if the road was repaired, and if Endel managed to kill Gaou, then they wouldn’t need to.

“We’re so close to saving Hyrule…” Endel muttered. So close to bringing the peace that Telma’s Scoundrels of Virtue fought and died for. So close to getting Zelda crowned and finally closing the book on fifteen years of stagnation and crisis. But none of that would have been possible if not for Skallin.

Endel looked down into the ruins of the room where his friend had sacrificed himself. “I don’t know if you can hear me, Skallin, but everyone’s doing okay!” he called down into the pit. “Maia and I are a thing now, and I think Torianna and Lorcan are as well. You would have liked that, even if you weren’t one for talking about it.” He paused to wipe his eyes and nose. “We all miss you, buddy. I know you always felt like a monster, but you taught me to be human and believe in something, so I say you’re a real person. I just wanted you to know that, since I screwed up at convincing you when you were here.”

Nobody was around to see Endel crying, so he let the tears flow. “I’m so, so sorry you had to die. I would have found another way, I know it! I should have stopped you! You weren’t ready to go, damn it!” He stopped himself short of flying into a rage, as he had no right to question Skallin’s decision. If his friend had looked at the options and decided his sacrifice was the best thing for Hyrule, then so be it.

“We’re going to kill Gaou. I won’t let you have died in vain.” Endel stated with certainty. “Goodbye, Skallin…” he said, then left to look for leads.

\---

Maia knew that the pact between the castle guard and Telma meant she was allowed in the castle, but being there as a Scoundrel looking for rumors felt bizzarre. As a maid, all she had to do was go to work and she’d find plenty of juicy tidbits about guardsmen kissing servant girls, or some new criminal in the dungeons. Now, it would be hard to approach anyone about those things without looking suspicious. Her only chance was going to the kitchen and hoping the girls would be at ease enough to talk around her.

Travelling through the castle halls, she came to the dining hall with the kitchen behind it. Inside were several servants preparing lunch for the castle guard. Having an idea, she sought out a familiar face and tried to strike up a casual conversation.

“Taylor!” Maia called out to one of the girls. She looked up and peered at her for a moment, then recognized Maia and ran over to hug her. “Maia! It’s been so long! We’ve heard so much about you!” Taylor exclaimed. “Is it true you ran off to be with a Scoundrel of Virtue?”

Maia blushed. “N-no! He kidnapped me for something else. I’m a Scoundrel now, though!” she explained. Taylor gave her a big smile. “It’s crazy how different you are! I feel like, well, you’re a new girl!”

“I can steal and fight, so you’re not wrong.” Maia told her, and Taylor looked at her in shock. “Maia? Stealing? Wow! You really have changed!” They talked for a bit, exchanging stories and talking about life as a Scoundrel of Virtue, before Maia finally got to something interesting.

“You know, your bosses have been making a lot of noise around here!” Taylor said, leaning in. “Word is, they’ve been stirring up the castle guard and the people against the nobles. Lots of talk about dismissing them and returning their lands to Princess Zelda! Can you imagine?”  
“Oh really?” Maia said slyly, masking her true excitement. “Yeah!” Taylor replied, “If you go to the taverns and guard’s barracks there’s flyers about the princess everywhere! The nobles want them gone, but most of the guards don’t listen to their orders anymore. Maybe they’ll give her the crown when she comes back?”

Maia couldn’t hide her joy now; the princess would finally be queen! “Finally, things will be the way they ought to!” Maia said with a squeal. “I’m gonna go tell my friends about this! Thank you Taylor!”

“Of course!” Taylor replied. “Good luck with your stealing and fighting stuff!” Maia wanted to tell her that there was more to being Scoundrels of Virtue than stealing and fighting, but decided to let it slide so she could go find Endel. Servant girls seemed so weird to her now!

\---

Lorcan wasn’t finding much in the west side of town, just people begging for money and going to spend it on games of chance. He’d always wanted to run these games out of town, but they were far too popular for even the Scoundrels of Virtue to push them out. It would probably fall to Princess Zelda to have them removed one day.

Listening for leads, Lorcan found most people were just talking about their personal problems as they wasted their money. Not wanting to squander his time, he looked for other areas with heavy traffic and noticed a small outdoor restaurant teeming with people. He made his way over and ordered a sandwich, but was surprised when a familiar face sat down next to him.

“Lorcan, right?” the older man asked. Lorcan nodded with a smile; it was Jonah! “It is you!” he cried, then gave him a heavy pat on the back. “It’s been too long, old friend! Still having trouble with conversation?” Lorcan scratched the back of his head and blushed. “No worries! I know you speak, just not in a way most are used to. I bet you miss talking to animals!” he said.

The two of them caught up for a while, mostly about the forest they’d both lived in. Jonah was a senior member of their tribe, and though he and Lorcan both looked contemporary now, they’d been fierce guardians of the forest until ten years ago. The aftermath of the Twilight Crisis had overwhelmed them with monsters retreating from central Hyrule, and they were forced to leave the forest and assimilate into society.

“Hey, aren’t you a Scoundrel of Virtue now? Where’s your armor?” Jonah asked. Lorcan looked askance, and Jonah read him like a book. “Say no more!” he joked. “If you lost it, I have an extra pair of Hylian knight armor from my son. He wore it well, but it’s been collecting dust since he got discharged and was allowed to keep it.”

Lorcan’s eyes widened. He’d always wanted to wear their armor, which was much nicer and sleeker than the standard guard outfit. Rumor had it that its design was passed down through generations of the best knights in Hyrule Castle’s ranks, the Royal Guard.

“Don’t worry about repaying me, I never wore that fancy armor well. You’d be doing me a favor, taking it off my hands.” Jonah explained. Nonetheless, Lorcan showed his gratitude and gave the kind man a hug out of excitement. “You always were a kind man!” Jonah told him. “My house is right down the road, we can go there and pick it up.”

Lorcan followed him to a small complex with multiple families living inside. They went up a flight of stairs and down a hallway to a door Jonah unlocked and went inside. The living space was small, but there was room for two beds and some furniture. Jonah opened a cabinet next to the unused bed and pulled out a beautiful set of armor.

The construction used platemail for the cuirass, greaves, and bracers forged out of purified steel. The clothing underneath as well as the overcoat were made of the toughest leather available, dyed white, blue, and royal purple. Its overall craftsmanship was incredible, with the crest of the royal family and the red bird of legend on the front of the overcoat, not to mention the various fine details that added beauty to the leather.

“Well, let’s hope it fits!” Jonah said. Lorcan was only wearing simple clothes, and they fit snugly underneath the new armor. He looked himself over excitedly; the gear fit him like a glove! “Oh! Almost forgot something!” Jonah exclaimed, then fished through the drawer again and pulled out a matching beret. “This thing’s blessed by Zelda in an ancient spring, they say it’ll bring good luck!” he said, then put the hat on Lorcan. Somehow, he felt more protected by the beret than anything else.

Lorcan thanked Jonah generously for the new armor, and the older man gave him a big smile. “I’m just glad to see you changing the world, young man! You always protected what you care about, so I can’t think of a better person to wear that armor!” Lorcan gave him one last hug, then left to find his friends. Torianna was gonna be so jealous!

\---

Sweeping through both the southern wing of town and the central square was a lot, but it wasn’t too much of a problem for Torianna. When you’d spent years picking up leads for Network, you tended to know exactly where to be for the best gossip and the right time to go there. And right now, that place was the market.

People had just gotten off work and were buying dinner to cook, so there were long lines of bored people entertaining each other with hearsay. Torianna learned a lot about Ashei and Telma whipping the people into supporting Zelda, but nothing about Network or Gaou. Just when she’d thought there wasn’t going to be anything else to hear about, something caught her eye that gave her an unpleasant jolt of fear.

A Networker, one by the name of Reuben, was causing a scene where he’d been caught shoplifting. The town’s guardsmen were trying to drag him away, but he was struggling and kicking too much for their meager strength to control. Cursing and shouting, he froze for a moment when he saw Torianna. She tried to get away but it was too late.

“Hey! Torianna!” Reuben called out, “Make yourself useful and get me out of here!” Torianna continued to stare at him, dumbfounded. “Damn it, come on already!” He shouted, but now the guards were picking him up by his neck and legs. After he tried to throw punches they tied his hands and began to carry him away. “Your dad was right! You’re a good for nothing-” He started to holler, but a guard smacked his head with the butt of his spear and knocked him out. Torianna fled the scene before a guardsman questioned her.

She remembered Reuben; he’d always had a thing for her, but she didn’t return his affections. For a while she thought Darius would force her to marry him, since he was a fairly good thief, but she convinced them both it was a bad idea with her belligerent attitude. Darius was fine letting her date any networker after that and focused on grooming Jaydon, and she made it clear to Reuben that dating wasn’t an interest of hers. He’d probably be furious to see what she and Lorcan had become.

Scoffing at the idea of giving Reuben the time of day, she returned to the center of town to find Lorcan returning in a spiffy set of armor. “Nice find! Where’d you steal that from?” she asked, and Lorcan scowled at her. Snickering, she waited with him until Maia returned, followed by Endel.

“Anyone learn anything interesting?” he asked, and Maia’s hand shot up. “I talked to a friend in the castle and she said Telma and Ashei are-” she began, but Torianna interjected. “Trying to force a coup? Yeah, I think all of us learned that.” she said, and Maia looked down. 

“It’s fine, we all worked hard and learned the same thing. Plus, it’s pretty good news!” Endel told them. Maia seemed to brighten up again, but Torianna grimaced at their affections.

“Lorcan, where did you get that armor from?” Endel asked. Torianna thought about making another wisecrack, but decided she’d done enough Lorcan teasing for a day. “He told me a friend gave it to him,” Torianna explained. Lorcan looked at her and gave a small smile. “Well, it looks great on you!” Endel said cheerily, and Lorcan blushed a little while cracking a grin.

They discussed leads a bit longer, and it sounded like everything was fairly peaceful in Castle Town again. Or at least nobody had an idea that a maniac was about to take the kingdom over with his personal demon lord.  
“Well, I think we can let Ashei and Telma work on the coup,” Maia suggested. Torianna admitted she wasn’t interested in protesting outside the castle all day for the nobles to cede their power, so she agreed. Endel considered their options for a moment, then agreed as well. “In that case, let’s visit The Advisor. I trust that he can help us again.” he concluded. Torianna felt a shiver down her spine when Endel said he ‘trusted’ this oddball, but didn’t object.

Walking through the castle gates, they were given free reign in the courtyard thanks to their fame as Zelda’s saviours. Some guardsmen even began talking in excited whispers as they walked by. Torianna wasn’t a big fan of it, but recognized that it made their job easier. She was actually more worried about Endel’s claim that there was a secret tunnel in the courtyard.

When they came to a large stone patio, Torianna looked around and thought they’d reached a dead end, but Endel slid his fingers into a small gap and pulled up one of the stones paving the surface. Underneath was a small ledge with a ladder heading further underground. 

“I’ll be damned…” Torianna said, peering into the darkness. She watched Endel set the stone aside, then hopped down onto the ledge and motioned for them to follow. Maia went first, then Torianna, and finally Lorcan who slid the stone back into place. Endel lit a torch, then started down the ladder with Torianna and the others behind him.

The descending hole was made with cut stone and looked well-kept, but after reaching the bottom of the ladder and walking a minute or so the walls turned to sandstone. Torianna thought she was imagining things, but it almost seemed like the stone had been cleared with explosions and eroded by wind. She didn’t know who would bother with all this, but suspected that they had a lot of time on their hands.

“Who exactly is this… Advisor guy?” Torianna asked Endel, who struggled for a moment to give an accurate explanation. “I think he- well, it- is some kind of spirit that guards this place.” he conjectured. “Kind of like a poe, but made up of lots of people.”

“That’s impossible, isn’t it?” Maia asked. Endel gave a shrug. “I honestly have no idea what it is, but maybe we can ask him?” Torianna laughed at that idea and Endel glared at her, but she didn’t apologize. She knew exactly how these freaks operated, and their number one rule was being as cryptic as possible.

They stopped their chatter when the cave widened considerably and a number of old graves came into view. Torianna couldn’t read a single one they saw, but didn’t get much time to inspect them before footsteps caught her attention. Everyone turned to the source of the noise and saw a strange figure obscured in faded, patched clothing hobbling toward them.

“Good to see you again!” Endel called out, then turned around to his friends. “This is The Advisor I told you about!”

“So good of you to bring guests!” The Advisor exclaimed in an odd cacophony of voices. Torianna couldn’t tell if it was happy to see them since its face was obscured, but she wouldn’t have trusted this thing anyway. She decided to keep her distance.

“We were hoping you could help us,” Endel explained. “You said you knew a lot about the world above, so maybe you could help us find Gaou and stop him?”

The Advisor seemed to falter for a moment, and Torianna thought this trip would be a waste of time after all. However, it beckoned for them to follow it, and Endel obeyed without even thinking this might be a trap.

“You have not seen my home, I believe,” The Advisor said, “I keep a number of oddities there, one of which may help you.”

“Could we possibly take a weapon to kill Gaou, as well?” Maia asked, but The Advisor shook his head. “None of these relics can pierce the hide of a demon lord, except for Endel’s bow.” it informed them frankly. Torianna could tell something was off, but didn’t say anything.

Going into another narrow cavern, they came to a well lit and furnished dead end. The tunnel had been made and widened with human means as well, giving all of them decent space to stand in. While their host rummaged around its home, Torianna got a look at the decorations and saw, among other things, a strange version of the Hylian crest with no Triforce. Instead there was only the bird, painted in unusual purple. She pondered this for a moment, until the Advisor opened a nightstand next to his bed and pulled out a strange orb.

Looking into it, the ball seemed to be made of clear crystal, but soon its depths began to cloud. Rather than an orb, Torianna felt like she was looking into a deep vortex of smoke and dust when she peered too long. “This is a divination tool I fixed over the course of my time here.” The Advisor explained. “It was actually created in my homeland, but was shattered by accident. Thankfully, when you have nothing better to do, tedious restoration projects are a welcome hobby.”

It set the ball down on a strange podium. “This is the secret to my knowledge of the surface. With the crystal ball, I can see any place or person destiny deems important.” It looked up to each of them. “Well, who would like to try using it?”

“I wouldn’t,” Torianna said flatly. Endel looked at her, scandalized. “If you think I’m gonna let fate tell me what I ought to see, you’ve got another think coming.” she stared The Advisor down, but it didn’t even flinch. “Sometimes, the wisest thing to do is admit you have only one option.” it replied calmly.

“I have plenty of options, and one of them is leaving. Now, I shan’t waste any more of your time!” Torianna said, then stormed away. She saw Lorcan start to chase her, but The Advisor held up a hand to prevent it. Just as well, since she wasn’t in the mood to be rebuked. Her friends really were hopelessly stupid!

\---

Endel didn’t say anything as Torianna left. If she wanted to be sour and resist her destiny, so be it. He’d tried to be the same way, and look where it’d gotten him. “Would anyone else like to try?” The Advisor asked indifferently, and Endel stepped forward. He looked into the crystal ball for a few minutes, but could only see smoke.

Looking around for any signs that his friends might want to try, Endel saw Lorcan was in a sort of trance. His friend stepped toward the crystal ball and seemed transfixed by whatever he was seeing. “Your introspective friend is, unsurprisingly, the most adept seer. I suspected this would happen when I met him.” The Advisor admitted.

Lorcan continued to look into the ball for a few more seconds before snapping out of it. When he did, Maia had an idea and handed him a slate and chalk. Endel watched him write furiously, then hold the board up.

‘I saw Cheval. He’s in the desert, injured. I think he’s finishing the mission Telma sent him on. We need to find him!’ the slate read.

Endel’s jaw dropped. He’d forgotten about their old boss and his mission to help the great fairies! Cheval had been working hard all this time, and they had no idea what he’d accomplished. Finding him needed to be their next move.

“Your next objective is clear now. Take the crystal ball and find your friend!” The Advisor told them. Lorcan nodded and wrapped the orb in a spare cloth, then placed it carefully in his backpack.

“Thank you so much!” Endel said to The Advisor, who humbly bowed. “I am simply following my destiny, as are you all.” it told them. Sending them off, Endel took one last look back and saw it watching them with a glint appearing in its hood. Even he had to admit that was a little creepy.

The group found Torianna leaning against a headstone, clenching her teeth. “Done wasting your time?” She asked snidely, but Lorcan stepped forward and glared at her. “We actually found out where to go next,” Maia said, “all thanks to Lorcan here.” Torianna rolled her eyes, then turned to Endel.

“You can apologize now, you know,” he told her matter-of-factly, but that just made her angrier. “No, it’s YOU that should apologize, because your buddy is gonna kill us all!” she spat. “What are you on about?” Endel asked, but Torianna didn’t need any provocation to continue. “That thing’s swindling you! It’s nothing but an old creep getting you to do what it wants!”

Endel was astounded. “How the hell are you able to prove that?” he asked. Torianna sneered at him. “Because I’ve got my wits about me!” she shot back. “You want to know what I figured out? He was LYING! He lied to you about not having any weapons to kill Gaou! He lied about needing that crystal ball to see what’s happening on the surface! He even lied about staying down here the whole time because he’s been visiting the surface! He’s a damned conman, and if you keep following his orders you’re gonna get us all killed!”

End of part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of part 2. For a better understanding of the events happening in the background, it's best to read part 2 of Shatter before moving on to the final chapters of The Scoundrels of Virtue.


	21. Chapter 21

Endel looked at Torianna in disbelief. How could she possibly be saying that The Advisor was manipulating them!? “You’re just upset because he didn’t give you anything!” he rebuked. Torianna looked skyward and let out a guffaw. “Unbelievable! You’re so blind to deception it’s beyond my ability to describe!” she spat at him. “All of you are gonna get killed! And to think I trusted you idiots!”

She pointed a finger at Lorcan now. “And don’t even get me started on you!” she scolded him. “So you’re some sort of seer, huh? Did destiny whisper in your ear and tell you what to do next!?” Lorcan glared at her but wouldn’t be provoked this time.

“Fine, be a mute weirdo! You can all go to hell for what I care!” Torianna shouted, then stormed away. “Where do you think you’re going!?” Endel yelled at her, but she didn’t even flinch. 

Maia turned to Endel. “I’m going to follow her, make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble…” she told him. He didn’t like the idea, but it was a practical move so Torianna could come back when she cooled down. “Ok, but be careful. We’ll track you with the crystal ball.” He pointed to the backpack where Lorcan’s seeing stone was held. “We’ll get Cheval, then find you as soon as we can.” Maia agreed to the idea, then chased after Torianna.

Endel rubbed his temples to dispel the headache he was getting, then turned to Lorcan. “Guess it’s like the old days, eh? Clearing out the forest and looting bokoblin camps!” he said, and Lorcan forced a smile. Together they left The Advisor and his home behind.

Coming out into the evening sunset, Endel and Lorcan started their walk to the stables in hope of getting a couple horses. Looking up into the sky, Endel felt a strange sadness he couldn’t quite describe, and when he looked to Lorcan the same somber expression was on his face.

“It’s weird, but even after the Twilight Crisis blanketed this place in that weird dusk, I still yearn for this time of day…” Endel said. Lorcan put a hand on his shoulder in solidarity, staring off to the horizon as well. Maybe it was just nice to imagine that somewhere out there was another world, staring at them from far away, longing to make contact with Hyrule. Now they knew the Twili existed, and they were close thing to what Endel was imagining, so that gave him hope for something… greater.

“Anyway, I hope you don’t mind riding horses?” Endel asked Lorcan, but then laughed. “Who am I kidding, you’ve probably got more horseback experience than me! Do you ride without a saddle too?” Lorcan smirked at him and cocked an eyebrow. “Well, that’s definitely a ‘yes’...” Endel said with a chuckle, and Lorcan seemed on the verge of boasting for just a moment. Maybe he’d finally get a word out of him by himself after all these years?  
They reached the stables just in time to rent three horses, the extra being for Cheval after they rescued him. Lorcan got up on his saddle and pulled out the crystal ball, then began to stare into it quietly as his horse trotted along.

“See anything new?” Endel asked, and Lorcan held up a hand, then put the orb away to pull out his chalk and slate. He wrote something down and showed it to Endel.

“Hmmm, he’s heading for the Gerudo Mesa?” Endel asked, and Lorcan nodded. “Strange, there’s just an old cave out there. No connection to the great fairies that I know of.” Lorcan shrugged, then put away his writing utensils. The Gerudo Mesa was just a huge, flat rock with an underground stairway in it. The stairs led to a man-made passage with an immovable door after a few paces. Some people say a voice on the other side commands intruders to leave, but nothing else happens.

However, there was that one rumor… yeah, some people said the door opened for the Hero of Twilight, and he was almost killed inside. Something about a queen giving him the ultimate potion when he completed her trials? Endel sincerely doubted anyone was living out there making potions though.

They reached the Gerudo Desert trail close to midnight, and decided to take a small rest before moving on. Endel and Lorcan took alternating turns sleeping and keeping watch, then got back on the road at midmorning. They took one last look at the crystal ball, but now Cheval was somewhere too dark to view, probably in the belowground passage.

Endel pulled out a map of Gerudo Desert and called Lorcan over. “This is where we are,” he said, pointing to the trail between Lanayru and the desert edge. “This right here is the Gerudo Mesa, at the southern rim of the desert. We don’t have much time to go, but that’s what the horses are for.” Lorcan raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yeah, they’re slower in sand than the bullbos, but we don’t exactly have those.” Endel explained. “Plus, it’s hard to lead a riderless bullbo, but we can bring the third horse with us for Cheval easy.” Lorcan seemed to accept this logic and got up on his own horse. Endel followed suit, and soon they were off across the desert.

\---

Maia followed Torianna at a run through the cave. She had no idea how she could convince their friend that she wasn’t keeping tabs on her, but the words would hopefully arrive along the way. It didn’t take too long for Torianna’s footsteps to come in earshot, and their abrupt pause told Maia that she’d stopped. After catching up, the girls looked warily at each other until Torianna made the first move.

“You’re not as dumb as I thought!” she said. Maia decided to play along. “I don’t want to die; maybe it’s cowardly, but I don’t care anymore!” she said defiantly. Torianna gave her a smile and extended her hand, which Maia shook. “You’re not gonna die with me in charge, I promise!” Torianna said. Maia prayed that was true.

They walked and discussed leads for a moment, but couldn’t decide on what to do next. “I’m not interested in Cheval,” Torianna admitted. “The boys can chase that dead end if they want. I’m gonna finish off my dad.” Maia didn’t like the idea of destroying Network with a 2-person team, but tried not to be so directly opposed. “Is there anyone we can get a lead from?” she asked, hoping they could recruit someone along the way. Torianna was silent for a moment, then seemed to think of someone.

“I know what to do, but first we need to get out of here!” she said. “Let’s move, double time!” They ran to the ladder, then climbed hastily up it and through the secret entrance. Torianna put the tile back, “to slow them down!” apparently. They walked briskly through the courtyard, but Torianna stopped at the entrance to the dungeon.

“We’re going to recruit a criminal?” Maia asked, and Torianna looked at her incredulously. “Uh, yeah?” she mocked, then opened the door and slipped inside. It was amazing how badly guarded this place had become, but with Zelda away and the nobles in disregard the guards probably cared little about security.

The dungeons were still a mess, but Maia noticed there were, surprisingly, a couple prisoners being held. They had to walk around the hole Endel had fallen into forever ago, though Torianna took the chance to spit into it. Suddenly, she stopped at one cell holding a young man sleeping on a cot, then ran her dagger over the bars to wake him up.

“What the hell- Torianna!?” he said in disbelief, then shot her an ugly look. “If you’re here to say sorry, you can shove it.” Torianna rolled her eyes. “I don’t give a damn about apologies, you know that. Now, I can get you out of here and make up for my mistake, or you can be resentful about what happened, tell me to get bent, and rot in this dungeon. Your call.”

The man thought for a moment, then got up and pulled a lockpick out of his boot. “Um, sorry for asking, but why not use that sooner?” Maia questioned him, eliciting a chuckle. “Because they’d catch me and kill me for escaping if I ditched this place alone.” he told her. “You two are going to smuggle me out.”

Turning to Torianna, the man gave her a confused look. “Is this the kind of thieves you run with now?” he asked. Torianna sighed deeply. “I don’t have a choice, ok? My old group got cold feet, you know how it is.” The man gave a creepy chuckle, but seemed to sympathize. “By the way, kid, the name’s Reuben.” he said, and awkwardly shook a stunned Maia’s hand. She knew this man, he was a Networker! The one that Torianna told her had been arrested earlier!

Maia felt like this was an extremely bad idea, but couldn’t say anything. If she did, it could make Reuben suspicious that he was being used. For now, she’d have to go along with this crazy idea and hope he didn’t backstab them. “Let’s get going…” she said, and Torianna led them both out of the dungeon.

It was early evening, so the guard would be changed to the night shift soon. Maia knew they’d been lucky, but doubted Torianna needed the good fortune to get Reuben out of there. Regardless, they passed the gate with ease as Maia talked her way out of having the guards inspect their jailbird. Swindling a castle guard was a low bar to jump, but she still felt pride as they disappeared into town square.

\---

Lorcan was glad Endel knew exactly what horseshoes to get their horses, as well as the best breed for the desert, making their trip easy enough. He wished they’d had these horses the first time they came here, but gerudo stallions were expensive and poor load-bearers, far too weak for holding Skallin. Speaking of which...

Thinking back to his days in the forest, Lorcan remembered learning that all creatures were goddess-blessed and would return to their creator in death, but monsters could not. Wicked things, as they’d been taught, were unnatural and could not go to Hylia, but instead wandered the void as disembodied consciousnesses. He’d never shared these beliefs with Endel, thinking they would sadden him and bring psychological disarray. However, upon re-examining his beliefs he started to trust Skallin was a good monster, and Hylia would welcome him to paradise. Perhaps he should divulge this belief to Endel sometime?

“Something on your mind?” Endel asked, and Lorcan felt that stirring in his heart to speak again. He took a deep breath, tried to form the words in his mind while clearing away anxiety, and spoke.

“Skallin is smiling over us right now. He is with the goddess. I thought you should know…” Lorcan shuddered; talking still felt like drinking bad medicine, but at least there was a tinge of self-respect with it. Endel looked at him, utterly stunned.

“...Thanks. I was actually thinking about him, you know?” he replied. Lorcan was surprised at the coincidence and Endel’s ease of accepting his outburst, but said nothing. The only sign of agreement he gave was a smile, which Endel seemed to appreciate. “He never did much to get along with the group, but I think he cared deeply about us and the fate of Hyrule. I’d bet most of his thinking time was spent on those two subjects, really.”

Lorcan reflected on that idea for a moment. Skallin never talked much, but it was true he trusted his fate to the goal of helping his friends and saving Hyrule. When he chose to talk, those goals were often evident in his resolutions. Anyone with those virtues deserved the company of Hylia, in his opinion.

“Anyway, I think you’re right. Anyone who acted like Skallin ought to get eternal happiness.” Endel concluded. Using his hand to keep the sun out of his eyes and see further, he seemed to spot something. “Gerudo Mesa is ahead. I already see movement on the plateau…”

Lorcan followed suit, and sure enough, there was a man in thieves’ gear limping down the stairs. It was definitely Cheval, but why was he running away?

Then it occurred to him; gerudo stallions were a bandit’s horse, and Cheval probably thought savages were bearing down on him. He was injured, so his only hope was to huddle in the passage below and try to fight in the dark. Cornered minds were dangerous, so they’d have to proceed with caution.

Miming to Endel what he’d guessed, Lorcan watched his leader for a new plan. “We’ll have to draw him out…” Endel concluded. “I’ll do the talking… er, that was obvious, sorry.” Endel facepalmed, then spurred his horse onward. It didn’t take long to reach the mesa.

The only way up the rock walls Lorcan could see was by climbing, so they got out their scaling gear and started. The cliffs were shorter than expected, but curved outward, making the climb difficult. Lorcan was exhausted by the time they reached the top plateau. They found an empty camp there, along with a trail of blood leading to the Cave of Ordeals. Endel held up a hand, then approached the stairway.

“Cheval! It’s Endel and Lorcan! We know you’ve been looking for the great fairies! Can we come down?” Endel asked. There was a tense moment of silence followed by a wheeze.

“Ugh… I have no choice. Endel, or whoever you are, get down here!” Cheval replied. They heard a sword being sheathed, then another wheeze. Endel motioned for Lorcan to follow, and together they descended.

The passage was blocked a yard or so inside, but lying against the obstructing door was a gaunt and dirty Cheval. His clothes were in horrible condition, with a large hole in their side exposing a nasty sword wound. Cheval looked at them worriedly, then broke out into a wheezing fit.

Endel reached into his pack and brought out his medicine, which he used to treat Chevals wounds. “Ran out of potion days ago…” Cheval muttered, “...couldn’t get more though, I was running out of time.”

“Time for what?” Endel asked. Cheval wheezed again, then looked him dead in the eyes.

“To complete my mission… to repower the fairies… to stop Volvagia!” he replied.

Vol-whatnow? Lorcan had never heard of this thing, and he’d been pretty well educated in gods, men, and monsters as a kid. “You’re gonna have to clarify. What’s this Volvagia?” Endel asked. The potion was working on Cheval now, so he straightened up and reclined.

“I don’t know the exact details, but… someone tried to make a god a long time ago.” he explained. “They failed, and we got Volvagia. It’s an insane fire deity in the form of a dragon that wants to destroy Hyrule. The fairies said only one of three things can stop it: a goron hero blessed to put it back to sleep, a strong will that can convince it to obey, and the magic of another god or strong mystic. The great fairies qualify for the third one.”

“Great, then we just have to sit back and let them do their job, right?” Endel asked.

“I wish it were that simple,” Cheval told him, “But Kazdan weakened the great fairies, and they couldn’t keep Volvagia sealed. They chose me to fix them with the dominion rod, you remember that right? That’s the mission they wanted us for, it’s the reason I had to go to their fountains. Volvagia is the enemy we were supposed to stop this whole time!”

Lorcan thought this would be good news, since they could work together and finish Cheval’s mission. However, he continued with information that suggested otherwise. “I travelled all over Hyrule, from Ordon to Snowpeak, looking for great fairies. Found every one of them, too, but it wasn’t enough. I’m too late... right at the end, I’m too late.”

Cheval looked away, ashamed of himself. It was a rare moment for him, so Lorcan knew he’d either been humbled by his travels or truly felt he’d messed up big. “Why is it too late?” Endel asked, and Cheval glared at him. “Because this place is magically dead! I can’t even use the dominion rod in here, there’s so much dead magic stifling it! And the voice behind the door isn’t talking, so I’m pretty sure she’s kicked the bucket. That can only mean the great fairies are dead!”

“Ok, so we can’t open the door, which means no more great fairies, but we have two more options!” Endel exclaimed. Cheval groaned in reply and rubbed his forehead. “Well, if you know a goron hero or a person that can control gods, by all means let’s hear it!” he quipped. Endel fell silent, though not because of Cheval.

At first Endel seemed to be looking around for someone else in the passage, but then Lorcan felt it too. A presence was reaching out to them, crawling inside their brains with unknown purpose. When it spoke, he got the feeling it was talking directly into their minds rather than aloud.

‘I have the answers you seek. Come, my son and his companions. I await you at the Arbiter’s Grounds.’

\---

Torianna scouted the streets for Network, but they were long gone. Castle Town really did have some measure of peace again… not that it could last with Darius still drawing breath.

“We’re not going to find anything out here.” Reuben warned them. Torianna glanced at him skeptically, then continued scouting for Networkers. “Come on, I think I’d know if your dad still had a presence in Castle town.” he added.

Admittedly Torianna wasn’t sure how well they could trust Reuben, given that he’d been in his Network attire when he was stealing earlier, but a thief of his standing wouldn’t be pocketing food in the market for a job. More likely he was abandoned when his buddies fled the city. However, he could use her and Maia as bargaining chips for getting back in Darius’s good graces.

“Why exactly can we trust your word?” Maia asked. Rookie question if Torianna had ever heard one, but the cat was out of the bag now. Reuben shrugged his shoulders. “You broke me out of prison. If I turn you into Network, you’d tell on me that I got caught stealing and I’d be ruined. There’s no good reason for me to risk that happening.” Maia seemed complacent with his argument, but that was another mistake. Don’t ever trust someone just because they debate well that you should.

“Anyway, let’s get a bed. It’s almost midnight.” Reuben suggested. Torianna and Maia weren’t keen on sleeping in the same inn as Reuben, but they were incredibly tired and voiced no objection. “My treat!” he told them, and then led the group to a decent place to stay and got two rooms. “See you guys tomorrow!” he said, then took the stairs to his quarters.

Torianna stayed with Maia in the bar for a while, but soon they couldn’t stay awake any longer and had to turn in. They both took off their leather armor and fell into bed, but Torianna didn’t fall asleep right away like she’d planned. Instead, she and Maia became restless, so they talked for a bit. 

“Why do you think Reuben is helping us? We hardly had to convince him, you know?” Maia asked. Torianna honestly had a vague idea, but hesitated to put it out there. “It’s because he likes me,” she said bluntly. “He thinks if I let him follow along, he’ll get lucky and I’ll stop finding him repulsive.”

“Ugh, I wish I had your problems!” Maia said with a groan. “When you’re the servant girl in a castle full of timid guards and snooty nobles, nobody admits to falling for you!” Torianna rolled her eyes; Maia had no idea how much worse it is to have a man like Reuben think he’s entitled to you.

“I know what you’re thinking, and I understand creepy men are awful!” Maia clarified. “But! Maybe having someone bad care about you is better than nobody at all?”

“I’m sure you mean well, Maia, but please, just stop.” Torianna begged. “You’re too good a kid to know what I’ve been through.” Maia groaned, but seemed to understand, and went silent. Torianna tried to stop thinking about boys and their games, but despite her best efforts, she fell asleep thinking about Lorcan.


	22. Chapter 22

Lorcan had tried to convince Endel and Cheval that listening to strange voices was a terrible idea, but they were having none of it. It was put forth by Cheval that they had no other options, and Endel seemed unusually disturbed by the voice mentioning its ‘son’ among them. Lorcan’s father had nothing to do with this place, and Cheval’s dad was a beggar, so that could only mean…

“I’m telling you, it had to be my dad!” Endel exclaimed as they got on their horses. Cheval was less convinced despite the evidence. “It could just be a trap,” he argued, “we have no proof that this… thing is telling the truth!”

“Damn it Cheval, you said this was our only option! Why do you care who this voice is!?” Endel shouted.

“Because it’s one thing to accept this fella’s invitation, but another to walk into this blind!” Cheval warned him. “We’re going to take our chances, but don’t be lured into a false sense of security.”

Cheval was being surprisingly middle-of-the-road given his usual reckless arrogance. The months on his own had clearly changed him for the better, in Lorcan’s opinion. Endel, on the other hand, was letting his destiny-driven conviction cloud his usual foresight. He clearly thought this voice was a test of his faith, and would gladly risk his life to prove his obedience. Maybe Torianna was a little right?

“For the last few months, there have been a couple times where I could feel something watching me.” Endel explained. “It gets worse when I get close to the desert! It has to mean something!”

“It’s not about whether it means anything, Endel, it’s about what that meaning actually is,” Cheval shot back. “There’s nothing more to discuss. Take us to the Arbiter’s Grounds, but be on your guard.”

Endel groaned and led them to the northern edge of the desert where the ruins of Arbiter’s Grounds lay. The bokoblins native to the area had long since scattered, probably thanks to the efforts of their first trip here. Lorcan was glad to see even a place as desolate and evil as this purged of those beasts. They dismounted their horses, not bothering to hide them given nobody in their right mind stalked this place.

“Hope you don’t get spooked easily.” Cheval said, nudging Lorcan in the ribs. He rolled his eyes and ignored him, knowing full well that the horses would have bolted if they sensed anything. Cheval may be getting shrewder, but he was still a terrible comedian.

Giving the place a quick look-around, Endel conformed the area was clear, then took them to the actual prison. The underground had gone completely dark, and when Endel tried to light a torch it fizzled out almost immediately. Something malicious was afoot in this place.

“Lorcan, take point and-” Endel said as he walked, but was pulled back at the last second when the sound of shifting sand caught Lorcan’s ears. He had noticed the floor gave way quickly to a pool of quicksand and saved Endel from being swallowed. “That was close…” Cheval muttered.

His eyes could barely make out the features of the room, but Lorcan could tell that there was no way to move forward. Between the unnavigable darkness and the distance between safe spots in the floor, they had no option for advancing unless whatever drew them here planned to help.

After a minute of testing the quicksand, Cheval seemed ready to drag an obstinate Endel out of there when they heard a door on the far side of the room open. Lorcan and the others drew their weapons, but nothing appeared in the shadows. The swing of a blade against stone nearly made Lorcan jump out of his skin, but the responding noise of crumbling stone confused him. Something was attacking the walls…

The swing of a sword and crumbling stone happened two more times before Lorcan realized what was happening. Panicking, he pulled Endel and Cheval out of the room before the ceiling fell. The person with the sword had broken the pillars in the room, bringing the ceiling down on top of the quicksand. An unorthodox way of encouraging progress, but it worked.

Returning them back to the entrance, the sound of quicksand had been stopped and Lorcan could make out a path to the opposite side. He kept his sword drawn even after Endel and Cheval put away theirs, and took the lead into the next room. He no longer thought their host was evil, but was certain of its rage now, and didn’t want to risk an angry monster lashing out at them suddenly. This person’s mind was wounded, and a wounded animal could be the most dangerous.

The next room held no secrets and even had stable footing, but the following antechamber was a different story. It consisted of a staircase lit by four flames, but the fire was an eerie blue that gave no warmth. Standing- or rather floating- on the stairs was a huge executioner’s sword.

“D-dad?” Endel whispered. He had to be out of his mind now; this was a floating sword, not a human. Unless… did Endel know that weapon? 

“Endel, that sword-” Cheval began, but Endel stopped him. “It’s dad’s sword. The runes on it, they’re his trademark…”

The voice from before reverberated through the room, this time speaking out loud. “It is good to see you again, my son. Truly, you have grown into a strong man...one that will be useful in exacting my revenge.”

“Revenge isn’t-” Cheval began, but the sword was slammed to the ground, silencing him. “DO NOT SPEAK OUT OF TURN!” the voice roared. Lorcan had been right, this thing was insane.

“...Pardon me, I have waited a long time for this day, and am overly excited.” it continued. “But first, let us dispel any doubts about my identity.”

In the not-warmth of the flames, a new figure appeared holding the sword. He was like Endel, but far more muscular and with his hair cut very short. His armor was like a Hylian Knight’s but lighter, allowing for greater flexibility to swing his enormous weapon.

“I am Frederick Smaw, the King’s Fist. Co-founder of Network. Traitor to the crown. And of course, father of Endel Smaw.” he said.

\---

“So, here’s the situation,” Torianna began. She, Maia, and Reuben had gathered in an alleyway the next morning to plan their next move. “Network isn’t in Lanayru or Eldin anymore. They don’t have a presence in Ordon, the desert, or the mountains to the knowledge of any of us. That means they can only be in Faron.”

“Right.” Reuben confirmed. Maia quietly agreed, though she probably had nothing to add to this discussion.

“Now, we don’t know about bases in Faron either, but Network could have a shelter there they’ve never had to use before.” Torianna reasoned.

“How do we know there aren’t shelters in the desert? Or Snowpeak and Ordon?” Maia asked.

“Well,” Torianna responded, “Gerudo Desert and Snowpeak are too desolate, you can’t maintain a shelter there. And Ordon… they’re brimming with mercenaries that would cut Darius and the entire Network force into pieces. Colin and Rusl alone could probably wipe them all out in a day. That’s not a hornet nest Network wants to deal with.”

“Ok, so we can be fairly certain they’re in the forest. Now what?” Reuben asked. “You tell me.” Torianna replied. Reuben looked at her strangely.

“Come on, you have to know where Network was told to regroup, right?” Torianna asked. Reuben sighed, then pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to Torianna. “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but it looks like you have to make a choice.” he said. Torianna didn’t understand his meaning at first, but when she read the paper it became clear to her.

The letter was an order from Darius to form two groups. One would be made up of Darius and his most trusted underlings who knew the location of the hideout in Faron Woods. They would meet there and wait out the mission of the second group. The location of this hideout was on the paper, but warned that anyone not permitted to enter would be killed on sight.

It was the second group that Reuben had been alluding to presenting a choice. This party was marching under Gaou’s command to stalk Endel and anyone travelling with him. Network and Gaou would ambush them on the road, kill them, and return to the hideout with their heads. If Gaou didn’t return in two days, Network had orders to scatter. 

Torianna knew if Gaou’s party succeeded, she would lose two people that she cared about, however reluctantly. But if she went to save them, Darius and his best buds would slip away. Both options presented heavy losses, and there weren’t enough of them to hedge their bets and split up. Not that she would trust the competence of Maia or the faithfulness of Reuben to do either job alone anyway. No, all three of them had to stay together.

“Hey, what’s the paper say?” Maia asked, snapping Torianna out of it. “It says we can either save Endel and Lorcan from being killed by Network, or kill Darius. That’s the choice Reuben was talking about.” she explained.

Maia’s eyes widened. “We have to go to Endel and Lorcan! This is NOT an option!” she shouted. “I don’t care how stupid you think they are, we-”

“I know!” Torianna interjected. “Damn it, I know you’re right…” she muttered. It was true; she couldn’t bring herself to make the practical decision and lose her friends, not for a moment. Weighing her options had been a formality. 

“So you know what you want to do?” Reuben asked. “Yeah,” Torianna replied. “I always knew what I wanted to do.” Maia smiled and gave her a hug. “Thank you, Torianna!” she said, and Torianna hugged her back.

Torianna stepped back and looked at her friends. “We’re headed for the stables, then the desert road. Reuben, I hope you have the money for good horses!” she said.

\---

Endel couldn’t describe the emotions he was feeling as he stood there, looking at the man that had provided for him dishonestly, only to leave. On the surface there was sadness, because Frederick had been betrayed by Darius and imprisoned here, and nobody deserved to be backstabbed like that. But there was the gnawing anger rising up from his earliest memories, the days of starvation and the death of his mother that had happened because Frederick had been in Network. He was an object of both disgust and pity for Endel.

“This is no time for sentimentality, son. We have work to do.” Frederick warned. Endel scoffed at his assumption. “Don’t assume your value to me, Frederick.” Endel replied. The phantom stiffened, but said nothing.

Stepping forward, Endel was stopped by Cheval’s hand. “Think for a moment!” he whispered, “What happens to people who come in here?” Endel took a few seconds to consider the situation, and remembered something important. People imprisoned here lost their humanity and were turned into monsters, so why was Frederick human?

“We don’t have time for hesitation!” Frederick urged them, but now Endel was more cautious. “Who are you, really?” Endel asked. Frederick feigned confusion, but wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Show your true form, now!” Endel commanded, nocking an arrow. Frederick snickered, but didn’t oblige. Endel set the arrow free, but Frederick disappeared before it found its mark.

Ominous laughter filled the antechamber. “You cannot kill me. Your arrows do not fly true enough. But, if you wish to try…”

Suddenly a twisted, pained howl filled the room and Frederick appeared again, now revealing his monstrous form. He wore the robes of a Network boss like Darius, but his face was gaunt and caprine, with two horns growing out of his head. The base of his neck seemed broken, causing his head to hang at an odd angle. One of his sleeves was torn off, and the bare arm was flayed. The exposed muscle appeared withered, but swung his sword with ease as he flailed in agony.

“THIS IS WHAT DARIUS HAS DONE TO ME!” he roared, moaning and showing his lack of composure once again.

“Tragic, really. Horrendously sad.” Endel mocked him. “But what has any of this got to do with Volvagia?”

Frederick stopped moaning and looked at him warily. “A man of business, like your father. I can respect that.” he reasoned. Endel doubted his sincerity, but welcomed the return to civil discussion.

“Volvagia has been asleep for the last thousand years, but has been slowly waking for a while now.” Frederick explained. “Furthermore, ‘asleep’ does not mean ‘inactive’. He has been wrestling opposition with his mind, even doing physical harm. In fact, he has been doing that for a long time already.”

“You mean by struggling against great fairy magic?” Cheval asked. Frederick growled at the interruption, but kept his calm. “Yes. As you know, there are three ways to deal with Volvagia, but each has different consequences. A strong will can keep him in check indefinitely. The gorons can pummel him with their hammer every hundred years, ensuring he stays unconscious. Powerful magic is different. It has to be constant, and underflow requires complementary overflow to restore balance. Extended drops in flow would require an impossibly large surge in reply, which the great fairies cannot provide. So really, your quest to heal those great fairies was-”

“Pointless.” Endel concluded. Frederick snickered again. “If you came here to tell us how stupid we are, you wasted our time and yours.” Endel told him.

“You misunderstand me!” Frederick chided. “I have two purposes for bringing you here. One is to tell you how you should kill Volvagia. The other is to tell you why!”

Endel raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean, ‘why’? He’s a god, of course we’re not going to kill him!” Frederick shook his head. “I will illuminate you on that matter second. First, the ‘how’. Volvagia can be stunned with the Megaton Hammer, the original weapon used to incapacitate him. After he is stunned, his magic will be neutralized. Fire an arrow point blank into either eye, and it will lodge in his brain, killing him.”

Endel didn’t like the sound of killing a god, mad or not, but this must be the only way if destiny brought him here. However, there was still the question of ‘why’ this had to happen. He trusted there was a need for this, but fear was trickling into his consciousness for some reason he couldn’t be sure of.

“Now, why should you kill him?” Frederick asked. Endel opened his mouth, but was beaten to his response. “You probably think it’s your ‘destiny’, or ‘duty’, or some drivel. I assure you the reason is much less noble. You must do it because it will avenge the audacity of the gods to forsake us!”

Endel couldn’t believe what he’d heard. It was like listening to his old self, but coming from his own father made it so much more bizarre. He was a Network kingpin that stole for himself, he had no reason to hate the gods except out of pure spite!

“Ha, I can almost read your thoughts!” he goaded. “‘Who does this old goat think he is? The gods saved me from the streets!’ I assure you they did not.”

Endel couldn’t take it. He nocked an arrow and fired it at Frederick, but it fazed through him. This bastard had no right… no right at all to say those things!

Frederick’s laughter roared through the antechamber. “Why would a goddess that loves you allow for Volvagia to exist? Do you know why?” he said. Endel looked at him as best he could, though his vision was clouded by rage.

“It’s because they value themselves and their kin more than you!” Frederick shouted. “They’re as selfish, stupid, and arrogant as you were, and you fell for them anyway!”

Endel screamed and nocked another arrow, but when it released Frederick flicked it away lazily. He tried to nock another, but Lorcan and Cheval restrained him. He spat at Frederick, but this only made him laugh harder.

“Think, child! Everyone’s trying to survive and keep their kin alive, gods too! Even if you listen to them every time, they’re going to toss you away eventually to serve their interests! Blind faith is only going to leave you disappointed!” He scolded.

Endel was panicking now. He could feel the world losing its order, its reason. Everything he’d built, all the logic he’d planted was being torn up. There was nothing left but the old Endel. The bitter, unpleasant Endel. The cynical prick Endel. The selfish, doubting Endel. The skeptical Endel... the only Endel that was right.

He had always been right.

“I can see it in your eyes now. Yes…” Frederick said, peering forward. “You’re a real thief. Compassion, piety, and chivalry are a coward’s tools, and you know it. Use your hatred and slay Volvagia, then the rest of the gods!” He vanished, leaving them alone.

“Hey, you alright pal?” Cheval asked carefully, but Endel was fine. He hadn’t gone mad, or lost his sense. He had just rediscovered himself, and that was good. Bad for the gods, but screw them. It was good for him and his friends.

“Never better!” he said sincerely. “Let’s ditch this place. We have a hammer to find.” Lorcan looked away, but didn’t object. Cheval seemed pleased with his recovery, but didn’t seem to grasp what had happened to him, not that it mattered. Endel smiled, then turned for the door and led them out of the darkness.

\---

Maia was probably the best of the three when it came to horseback riding, so she led the group as they headed for the desert trail. It didn’t take long to reach the place they expected to find Network marching, but there wasn’t a sign of them hidden or otherwise.

“We can assume they followed Endel and Lorcan into the desert.” Torianna reasoned. “No,” Reuben interjected, “They can’t hide a large force out there. The only other option is hiding in the roadside. Plenty of boulders and hills for cover there.”

“Speaking of which, can we count on you to slay your pals, or are you gonna hide when this gets tough?” Torianna asked. Reuben waved the question away. “You know I care more about you than Network. My blade is yours!”

“Really!? Do you know how pathetic you sound!?” Maia spat. Reuben and Torianna swivelled in their saddles to face her, looking utterly gobsmacked. “Torianna isn’t some dainty girl, and you’re no hero poised to snatch her off her feet. If you’re only here for her, you might as well give it up and go home! We don’t need creeps like you at our backs!”

Reuben was utterly stunned, but Torianna was smirking at Maia. A feeling of satisfaction filled her as she realized she’d stood up for Torianna for once. It didn’t last long, however, as the sounds of yelling and howls of pain reached her ears.

“Time to decide kid! Will you help us, or should we kill you now?” Torianna asked. Reuben began to sweat and glance between them, but came to a conclusion. “I-I’d be happy to help!” he stuttered.

There was nothing more to discuss. They drew their weapons and charged down the road to help their companions. The fight soon came into view, and it looked to Maia like Endel’s archery was keeping Network at bay. However, it was only a matter of time until Gaou joined the battle, and that would spell their doom.

“Keep your eyes peeled!” Torianna warned. “Gaou is probably hiding somewhere, but he’ll join in when Endel gets tired!” Maia kept that in the back of her head as she cried out and charged the fray. A couple Networkers turned to face her, so she trampled one with her horse and jabbed the other in his throat. Torianna and Reuben rushed the rest, and soon they’d routed the surprise force.

Suddenly, Gaou appeared in the road and fired magic missiles at the retreating Network pack. The cowards fell to the ground dead, and Gaou turned to face them with a wicked grin. “I should thank you!” He announced. “These Network dogs are a nuisance to serve, and their deaths bring me great pleasure. As thanks, I’ll give you all a swift and noble death!”

Gaou shot forward, but Endel stopped him with an arrow to the eye. It didn’t pierce him, but caused noticeable pain that led to him tripping. As he gracelessly righted himself, Maia had an idea.

Dismounting and grabbing Endel’s bow and an arrow out of his hands, Maia aimed at Gaou’s head. “Hey Gaou, walk much?” She taunted him, and he took the bait. “Wretched gi-!” he began.

Maia let the arrow fly, and it went right down Gaou’s throat. He choked on it, spitting up blood, then yanked it out. Just like she’d thought, his mouth was a weak point.

Gaou tried to talk, but the bleeding obstructed his vocal chords. Furious, he teleported away so he could tend his wound. Maia had bought them some time, at least.

Everyone gathered around her. “Nice one!” Endel exclaimed, then embraced and kissed her. Lorcan gave her his usual smile and a pat on the back. The others threw in their thanks and congratulations.

“Ok, I think it’s high time we get out of here. Saddle up!” Endel told them. Maia wanted to talk about everything they’d been through, but it would have to wait. Something on Endel’s face told her he wasn’t interested in talking right now. “We’re heading for death mountain!” he hollered to them before galloping off.

“Uh, any reason for that?” Torianna asked Cheval, but Maia shook her head. This wasn’t the time for questioning, and the looks Lorcan and Cheval were giving confirmed it. They were running against the clock now, Maia could feel it. She spurred her horse and chased after Endel, hoping there would be time for catching up later.


	23. Chapter 23

At first Torianna was annoyed with Endel’s refusal to stop and explain the situation, but then Lorcan and Cheval told her about their experience in the desert. Apparently Cheval had been working to stop the awakening of Volvagia, some big bad dragon god that wanted to destroy Hyrule. Endel hadn’t taken kindly to the idea that Hylia allowed Volvagia to exist and had a panic attack about it, but was now back to his old self. Thank the stars for that, at least; she’d never cared for his newfound altruism and was glad to see it gone.

Oh, and Cheval was less of a cocky blowhard now. Everyone was changing for the better! Except for her, she was still a pain in the ass and kind of a detriment to the team. No change there, at least.

“Something on your mind?” Maia asked as they rode for Eldin. Torianna didn’t want to talk about it, but she figured keeping secrets wasn’t very friendly. “I just… I can’t stop thinking that my running off nearly got Endel and Lorcan killed. If we’d been travelling with them we would have easily scared off Gaou, but it took everything to stay alive back there.”

Maia stopped her. “You were trying to stay alive. That’s what you do, nobody can blame you for that.”

“But I don’t want to be that way!” Torianna griped. “I want to be there for others even when I think they’re being stupid!” 

“Do you really want that, or are you just convincing yourself you have to be that way because your friends are?” Maia asked. Torianna didn’t know what to say to that. She tried to pick her motivations apart, but couldn’t distinguish her own convictions from what her friends taught her to think. Was there even an original Torianna left?

“I think I need to define myself, by myself, before I can answer that.” she finally concluded. Maia seemed satisfied with the answer even if it wasn’t expected, and left her alone.

The sun had long gone down when they reached Kakariko, and Reuben convinced them to stay the night there while he did some scouting. “Yeah, no, we can go together.” Cheval dismissed him. “I don’t need you getting caught by the gorons, or worse, snitching to Network.” Reuben didn’t seem to mind, and the rest of them turned in at the abandoned house they’d gotten so used to on this crazy journey.

Before they went to bed, Torianna convinced them to have one last night of fun. “We’re going to kill Volvagia tomorrow, and after that Network will scatter. There’s no reason to stick together after that…” she reasoned, and everyone agreed. Thinking about her earlier conversation, she decided this was an action she was doing for her own enjoyment, not to cave into others’ expectations. That brought a smile to her face as she pulled out her pack of playing cards.

“Spades, aces trump. Standard rules.” Torianna explained. It was she and Endel versus Maia and Lorcan. After Maia dealt, they began to play and have some casual conversation.

“So Endel, what are you gonna do after we kill Volvagia?” Maia asked as Lorcan considered his play. Endel gave her a smug grin. “I’m gonna swindle a noble out of his house and live there. Maybe we can share it?” he said. Maia blushed heavily and giggled. “I’ll try and get you one too, Lorcan! It’ll made a sweet pad for you and Torianna” he added. For the first time in a while, Lorcan got huffy and red-faced while Torianna laughed at his frustration. Deep down, he still had no tolerance for being the butt of the joke. And as for her moving into Lorcan’s house, Torianna wouldn’t let that slide.

“Endel, you really think you’re going to be getting a house for Maia?” She asked. Endel smiled proudly and nodded. “Hate to break it to you, kiddo, but Maia’s gonna be wearing the pants in your relationship! She’s a waaaaay better thief than you!” Torianna teased. Maia laughed out loud while Endel pouted.

They finished the game with Torianna and Endel winning (she was sure to lord this over Lorcan while shaking Maia’s hand in respect of a game well played), then everyone hung out for a while longer before finally retiring to their beds.

All of this proved one thing to Torianna, which she thought about as she went to sleep. Having friends was something the real her wanted to do, and it was wonderful.

\---

Lorcan got up the next morning to stretch and prepare himself for their final mission. Endel was still asleep, but the sky was only just brightening so he let him rest. As for the girls, they probably wouldn’t care about getting fresh air, so they were probably best left alone.

Outside, Lorcan felt the pleasantly cool wind blow by, and he felt content. The world was certainly not at balance given that a god wanted to kill them, but the serenity of nature had not abandoned Hyrule. He took that as a sign that, despite Frederick and Endel’s convictions, the goddess still watched over them and wanted them to fix their world. This was the moment of proving for Lorcan, and he intended to rise to the challenge.

All of a sudden the ground began to rumble and smoke poured from the many holes of Death Mountain and the Goron Mines. The sky quickly clouded from ash and smog, then turned dark. Lorcan steadied himself and ran back into the building to get everyone.

The direness of the situation spurred him to yell. “GET UP! THE MOUNTAIN IS ERUPTING! GET UP NOW!” he hollered. The sound of everyone jumping up and putting on their clothes was the only reply he got, but it was good enough, so he ran back outside to survey the situation.

Reuben and Cheval came running down the trail from Death Mountain as Lorcan left the building. They stopped short of him, caught their breath as best they could in the haze, and started to explain.

“Volvagia woke up! He’s changing the mountain from the inside! The gorons are gonna try and stop him!” Reuben said. “We were trailing a party of gorons with the Megaton Hammer when this godsawful rumbling began. They tried to protect the hammer, but in the confusion they… misplaced it.” Cheval pulled a giant hammer from the belt on his back. It looked incredibly topheavy, so he decided to let one of them handle it.

Endel and the others came out to the hellscape that Death Mountain had become, and Cheval caught them up about the hammer and Volvagia. Endel cursed when he saw how bad the volcano had become.

“Those gorons don’t have a chance now! You doomed them, Cheval!” Endel yelled. “It’s them or us!” Cheval shot back. “We get up there, kill Volvagia, and end this before they die!”

“How the hell are we gonna climb an erupting volcano!? Ever think of that!?” Torianna added. Lorcan was starting to get angry, but tried to keep his head. This wasn’t the time to argue! He needed to lead the group now.

Dashing forward, he didn’t stop when Endel yelled out for him. Everyone eventually got the hint and followed suit, but he couldn’t lead silently for much longer.

‘Keep your head Lorcan, it’s just like the hunts in the forest. You have to stay focused!’ he thought to himself. Slowing down so everyone else could catch up, the others reached him as he stood in front of a lava flow blocking their way.

“Follow my lead exactly!” Lorcan called out. He pointed out and leapt over a narrow point in the fiery river, and everyone did the same to cross. They continued in this way up to the base of the mountain, where they found things to be even worse than they’d imagined.

Huge fissures were appearing in the ground, with lava churning beneath. Even the mountain had changed drastically from the excavated, dug up lump of fire it had been to a huge, terrifying volcano. How had a god terraformed the place in such little time?

“The gorons are long gone, we’re the only ones here!” Endel shouted to Lorcan. “How do we find an entrance to this place!?” Torianna added. Lorcan scanned the mountainside for a path, and picked one out that led to a hole into the crater. “Follow me!” he hollered, then began climbing the cliff to the gap.

It was an arduous climb; flaming meteors were falling from the sky as if drawn there by the cataclysm Volvagia was causing. One of them nearly took out Endel, but they persisted and soon were at the fissure.

“Good going Lor-” Cheval began, but another earthquake displaced a rock above them. It fell from the mountain and collided with his head, knocking him to the ground.

\---  
“CHEVAL!” Maia yelled, then collapsed next to him. She listened for breathing and heard none, and couldn’t find a pulse either. “I need to take care of him! Keep going without us!” She told the rest of them hurriedly. They were stunned for a moment, but didn’t wait long to run through the gap in the volcano.

Maia sunk over Cheval and began assessing his wounds. Massive head trauma, probably a concussion. Definitely no blood circulation, which meant his heart stopped. She’d have to perform resuscitation to revive him.

Removing his overcoat, Maia put her hands on Cheval’s ribcage and started pumping his heart manually. The noise of his cracking ribs was gruesome, but she didn’t let it get to her. The sound of lightning cracking overhead didn’t stop her either as she tilted Cheval’s head back and breathed into him. She checked for improvement, then started again.

The resuscitation didn’t seem to be helping Cheval. He wasn’t breathing at all, and his pulse was still flat. Maia hoped she wasn’t doing anything wrong as she tried to better adjust his head. If a friend died because of her failures, she’d never be able to forgive herself. She had to keep going, she told herself as she tried to revive Cheval again.

Over and over Maia tried to resuscitate him, but nothing was working. Tears streamed down her face as she begged him to wake up. She beat on his chest as hard as she could, but nothing happened. The lightning crackled overhead and the ground shook, but Cheval remained still. Maia could feel her hopes breaking now, accepting the horrible truth. Cheval was dead.

Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck him. It was a weak blast, but more than enough to make Maia’s ears ring and temporarily blind her. She flew backwards from the shockwave, then scrambled to get up. Feeling around blindly for Cheval’s body, she discovered his wrist had a pulse again. He’d been shocked back to life! He seemed to still be unconscious and would need to be moved as soon as possible, but for now Maia had to protect him. She felt around for his coat, then covered him from the ash and smoke with it.

Maia tried to whisper to Lorcan that he’d be ok, but the ringing in her ears made speaking too difficult. She grasped for his head and found it, then stroked him reassuringly. At least she’d saved him for now. Even if none of this worked, and Volvagia killed every living thing in Hyrule, she’d saved someone. That was enough reassurance, here at the end, for her to feel contentment.

\---

Endel led the rest of his friends into the terraformed mountain. The crater inside was unbearably hot, but Reuben pulled out a long cloth and tore it into headbands, then passed it around. When Endel put it on, the heat disappeared. “Goron enchanted cloth, it keeps us humans alive in places like this.” he explained.

“Where do you even get stuff like this?” Torianna asked him, suspicious, but he waggled his finger. “I always look out for a good five-finger discount!” He teased. Endel decided not to complain, leading them into the crater.

The interior of the new volcano looked like it had been dredged up from deep underground. Scorch marks covered the rock, which was mostly rough stone as you’d expect, but there were exceptions. A few places had intricate stonework chiseled into the walls and floor up ahead, terminating in a man made tunnel.

“Goron’s are artsier than I thought…” Torianna muttered. “Cut the chatter, we don’t know what’s in here.” Endel said. “Reuben, did you get the hammer?” He turned to the Networker, who brandished the weapon. “Good. Keep it out, Volvagia could be around any corner.” Endel warned.

They cautiously approached the tunnel, then slipped inside. Volvagia probably wouldn’t be in this small place, but somehow Endel got a feeling they needed to be here. Not destiny or fate calling him, of course, but just his uncanny intuition.

At the end of the tunnel was a large hole surrounded by eerie, smiling faces carved into the rock. “This place creeps me the hell out…” Torianna grumbled. Endel shot her a look, and she stopped blabbering. He began to pull out his rope, but when he looked into the hole someone else had left theirs there.

Endel swore under his breath. “We need to be really careful. If someone else beat us here and they don’t have the hammer, they probably don’t have good intentions.” The others agreed, and they tested the rope before climbing down one-at-a-time. The bottom of the hole was incredibly far down and dark, but at the bottom was another tunnel with a well-lit room on the far side. They drew their weapons, then proceeded.

The place that greeted them at the end of the tunnel looked like an ancient, long abandoned temple. Everything was still scorched and many pieces of stonework were smashed or broken, but the area was alive with spirit energy. “No way…” Reuben whispered. Endel turned to him and he explained. “I’ve heard stories of a temple where the gorons worshipped a century ago. It was lost in the creation of the Goron Mines- they say it sank into the earth. Volvagia… he brought it back up again. This has gotta be where he lives!”

“Whatever it is, there’s a lot of power in this place.” Torianna said. Lorcan seemed to agree, and given his affinity for nature that confirmed the magnitude of this place to Endel. He may hate the gods, but their temples were still something else.

Looking around the temple entrance, he saw there were two doors left in the room. It seemed there used to be two more, but one was obstructed by a toppled statue with another eerie, laughing face. The other door was melted shut. “Ok, two doors, and we can bet our buddy ahead of us took one. We need to take the other.” Endel figured. Lorcan began looking for signs of progress by their competition and discovered tracks leading through the path on the right. Endel understood and decided to try the one on the left. It’s door had melted into the floor long ago, and they crossed the open doorway to find a huge antechamber.

This room had clearly been meant for gorons, as most of the ground was magma. Only a small pillar in the middle of the room allowed passage from one side to the other, where a huge door signaled an important chamber ahead.

“This is it. We cross this room, and then face Volvagia. I just know it.” Endel stated. “You ‘just know it’?” Torianna asked. “I hope that’s your intuition talking.” Endel waved her concerns away and leapt to the pillar, then on to the far side of the room. Torianna, Lorcan, and Reuben followed suit, and they stood together in front of the door. It was surprisingly cool to the touch, but took all their strength to lift, and when they got to the next chamber things only got worse.

This place was clearly underneath the crater, and must have been the room housing Volvagia. Thick, rock walls could keep him imprisoned for a long time even if he woke up, though it couldn’t stop him from telekinetically wreaking havoc on Hyrule. But none of that mattered, because he wasn’t around.

The only person here… was The Advisor.

For a moment Endel and Torianna were next to their friends, but suddenly teleported to the platform where The Advisor stood. It was a hunk of flat rock, with holes burrowed into it by something huge. The Advisor faced them, its expression buried in rags as usual.

“You have done very well to find this place. I was correct in placing my trust in you.” it congratulated them. “In particular, the two of you. I must say, you have performed exactly as I had hoped.”

“Cut the crap, old geezer!” Torianna spat. “Where’s Volvagia!?” The Advisor ignored the comment. “It is time for you to bring an end to this quest. But… you will have to prove yourselves one last time.”

“What the hell are you talking about!?” Endel shouted. “We’ve busted our asses going all over Hyrule. What should we possibly have to prove to you!?”

The Advisor kept its composure flawlessly. “You must prove that you are not mere butchers. I cannot allow you to kill a god in cold blood, no matter how much he may deserve it. That is why I tempered you two for the task of killing Volvagia with mercy.”

“Well you did a great job, because now we’re both here, ready to kill that dragon as a giant ‘screw you’ to Hylia!” Torianna told him.

“Hence the proving. You underestimate how well the next few minutes will shape your rationale for being here.” The Advisor replied. “Soon, I will tell you everything you have not been informed of, and your misconceptions will be firmly obliterated.”

Endel scoffed. “My apologies, Torianna,” he said, “looks like you were right on the money about this weirdo. You think we don’t know that you’re protecting Gaou? Or that you’ve been watching us personally the whole time?”

The Advisor let out a chuckle. “You learned exactly what I wanted you to find out. Torianna surmised everything I expected, and you denied it right on cue. I predicted you would only come to agree when it was too late. And Torianna was changed into the woman I wanted her to be for this very moment.”

“Oh, and what kind of woman would that be, you creep!?” Torianna asked. “The kind of woman who would question her values.” The Advisor replied. Torianna blinked at him, but said nothing.

“I needed to break you both, so that I could mold you into disciples.” it continued. “Here and now, the final shape of your characters will be formed. You will kill Volvagia as your minds thank Hylia for this blessed day, and never again will the two of you question the power of the gods again.”

“And why the HELL do you think you can do that!?” Endel roared. He’d had enough of this maniac telling them what to do and believe.

“Because of who I am.” The Advisor replied. “Because it is my own duty to make sure you kill Volvagia for the right reasons. Because it is my destiny to die here, and I intend to do so at the hands of good people. Because…”

The Advisor flashed white, blinding Endel and Torianna. When they opened their eyes, the thing they’d been talking to was gone, but someone very different was in its place. A man- no, he was something else entirely.

“I am Zurin, demon lord of Eldin Volcano.” The person introduced himself. “And I have been awaiting this day for a very, very long time.”


	24. Chapter 24

Endel stood there, shocked at this change in events. This entire time, he’d been guided to kill Volvagia… by a demon lord!? What the hell was even going on here!?

“This must be very confusing for you, so I will explain.” Zurin told them. Endel wanted to put an arrow in his head, but somehow knew that this guy was too smart for Maia’s earlier trickshot to work, and Torianna had no way of fighting him. He’d probably kill them before Endel drew his bow anyway.

“A long time ago, I was forced into a pact with the original dragon god of fire, Eldin. Yes, the very god whose name was used for this land and its light spirit.” Zurin began. “I swore loyalty to him, and in return he protected me from Hylia and her children. I did not know it at the time, but he intended this pact to continue for himself and his future selves as well. When he became ill, this was used against me to force my hand in reincarnating him.”

Endel started to understand Zurin’s initial arguments about fate he’d made when they first met. To him, he had no choice but to blindly obey his master. But why would he instil these values in him only to have them broken later?

“I tried and failed to remake Eldin. My inexperience created Volvagia, a mad animal that wants to destroy Hyrule. Worse, I do not have the power to control or kill him.” Zurin lamented. “However… humans certainly could. With their combined magic and skill, exterminating Volvagia could be possible, but it would require a very specific kind of people.”

“You mean, people who would do it for the right reasons?” Torianna asked. “Precisely.” Zurin answered. “If vengeful humans kill Volvagia, it could easily lead to a rebellion against the gods, which would spell Hyrule’s doom. Furthermore, if Volvagia was killed without knowing his past or why he was created, people might not respect the gravity of their actions and repeat my mistakes. I felt it was necessary to create a scenario that avoided both of these outcomes, and so I set my plan into action.”

Endel still hated Zurin, but at least he was making sense, so he let him continue. “I realized several events would need to occur for the destruction of Volvagia I desired. First and foremost, the great fairies would have to be dealt with. Second, I would need to create a high demand for heroic individuals that could defeat Volvagia. Finally, the ability to directly influence these heroes without revealing my identity would be necessary. I set a plan into motion that would accomplish all three criteria, with one unexpected flaw later on.”

“Gaou, you mean.” Torianna interjected, and Zurin confirmed her suspicions. “Initially, I set out to weaken the great fairies by influencing Kazdan into starting his coup and experimenting with demon resurrection. I did not expect him to succeed in making a demon lord, but alas, I was wrong. My underestimation of your family was… unfortunate. However, I have created a last-minute plan to save his life, so there is no need to fret.”

“No need!? You ruined my family, you damn idiot!” Torianna shouted.  
“Did I?” Zurin responded coolly. “It seems to me they were rotten long before I began my scheme. I never suggested your brother take that serum, nor did I suggest your father create Network. They made all their horrible decisions on their own.”

“You still created Kazdan, one of the founders of Network.” Endel told him. “I created a necessary evil to necessitate an even greater good.” Zurin replied. “Network’s cooperation was an unfortunate side effect of empowering the nobles through Kazdan’s ambitions. Regardless, they are gone now, and you are stronger for having fought them.”

Endel wasn’t sure why Zurin had to be so be so underhanded and indirect. Why not just establish himself as the big bad guy? “The second part of my plan, creating the Scoundrels of Virtue, required me to act in the shadows. If I revealed myself to either the heroes or the villains as a benefactor, my game would be discovered quickly. For that reason, I decided to influence Kazdan only minimally and through telekinetic manipulation. His ideas and ambitions were exactly what I told them to be.”

“For Telma, I decided a personal intervention could be risked.” Zurin said. “Fifteen years ago, I visited Telma’s bar as a nameless visitor, convinced her to create the resistance group that stopped the Twilight Crisis, and let the seed I had planted in her germinate from there. She was made to swear secrecy about the encounter, and I led her to believe I was a traveller from a distant kingdom, so my tracks were covered.”

Endel thought back and realized he’d never heard exactly why a bartender like Telma would want to start a resistance. Whatever Zurin said to her must have been compelling, but he’d have to learn that later.

“With my two groups poised to fight, I retreated to the Graveyard and waited for war.” Zurin explained. “It took a few years, but I had already waited a thousand for hylians to grow a backbone, so I did not mind.”

“Of course, a war meant nothing if Volvagia’s demise was not at its end, so I left a trail that would lead to him through my actions as The Advisor and the testimony of others.” Zurin stated. Based on that admission, Endel suspected this meant his reunion with his father and Cheval’s journey to stop Volvagia were orchestrated events this whole time, but stayed quiet.

“This still doesn’t explain why Gaou is alive, or why you’re letting him stay that way.” Torianna said. Surprisingly, Zurin sighed with grief. “I simply cannot kill him.” He admitted. “There is a chance that, like me, he will repent of his actions and embrace his humanity. I cannot take the life of any kin that has hope of redemption.”

“You’re pathetic!” Torianna spat. “Your actions have killed hundreds of people, but one measly demon gets a second chance? That’s bullcrap!”

“Did you not discover a way to kill Gaou, then spare him anyway?” Zurin chided. “You could have killed him yesterday on the desert road by putting your dagger down his throat. I am certain you were considering it, but you refused, because you want to save him as well. We are very alike in that regard.”

Torianna stared viciously at Zurin, but said nothing. “I will turn him, and you will have your brother again.” he assured her. “You have my word.”

“Why? Why all of this manipulation? Why play games with our lives, damn it!?” Endel demanded. He could understand the practicality of Zurin, but not the megalomania. “I considered making more life-forms to kill Volvagia, but what would that have proven?” Zurin replied. “The fact of the matter is hylians need heroes that don’t come from the gods. I do not relish in tampering with people, but I am aware that this will set an important precedent.”

“So…” Torianna growled. “You made this big plan for killing your buddy and dragged Hyrule into it. You made our crappy situation worse so we’d ‘grow stronger,’ or some nonsense. You got a bunch of people killed in the process. Anything else you want to admit?”

“Not particularly.” Zurin stated bluntly.

“Great.” Torianna said. “Endel, you want to kill this guy now?”

“No.” he replied. Torianna looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“Have you been listening to this creep!?” She exclaimed. “He’s the reason we’re here! The entire crapfest we’ve been through is his doing!”

“I know that!” Endel snapped. “I just… feel like there’s a good man inside him. I mean, there was a good person behind all our bad actions, so why can’t it be the same for him?”

Torianna groaned loudly, but seemed to agree. They couldn’t just fight this guy without giving him a chance. Because like them, he was trying to be a good person in spite of his mistakes, and that meant he deserved mercy.

“There is… one issue we must resolve, however.” Zurin interrupted. “Endel must be able to fire light arrows if we are to kill Volvagia. To that end, your trust in the gods must be reignited.”

“Reignited? How would we do that?” Endel asked. Zurin lowered his head and stretched his right arm toward them.

“With a little test…” he remarked. Suddenly, the three of them were whisked away to another room by Zurin’s magic. This one was largely intact, but incredibly hazardous; there were pillars and ledges throughout the room they could stand on, but the floor below was filled with shifting boulders.

“This is crazy!” Endel yelled to Zurin, but he was unfazed. “You will fight me until you can use light arrows again.” he replied. “I will avoid killing you, but I cannot guarantee this will not hurt. Now…” He raised his arms and began casting a spell.

“Let us begin.”

Endel fired a regular arrow at him, but Zurin teleported away before it reached him. “Where the hell’d he go!?” Torianna asked, but Endel felt a presence above him and looked up.

“Watch it!” he shouted and pulled Torianna out of the way just before a fireball blasted the ground they’d been standing on. “Excellent work!” Zurin said before teleporting away again. Endel swore and nocked an arrow, then kept looking for him.

This time Zurin appeared in front of them, fireball in hand. Endel shot him in the eye and he was stunned by the impact, but disappeared again before Torianna could get to him. “I’ll try and tangle him up…” she whispered, and Endel agreed to the plan.

They never got a chance to try, though, as Zurin teleported far behind them and unleashed a spray of sparks. The bits of flame scattered around the room, then shot at them like darts in rapid succession. The two of them had to dodge from one platform to the next to escape, and were soon separated.

“You are doing well! How about we raise the stakes a bit?” Zurin announced. He disappeared, then materialized out of range and cast a spell. The boulders beneath them suddenly morphed into stone hands with eyes in their palms, and began floating around the arena. One of them opened its eye, then reached for Torianna and tried to pick her up, but she jumped to another platform.

“The eyes have to be a weak point!” Endel shouted. “Get over here and stab them when they get close, I’ll cover us with arrows!”

Torianna closed the gap on Endel, then got to work slashing the eyes of any hands that got close. Endel fired more arrows at Zuin, but he’d put on goggles and couldn’t be targeted in his eyes. He never opened his mouth either, so that wasn’t an option.

Trying to figure out a way to win, Endel had a strange thought. “Torianna, stop hitting the statues, I’m gonna try something!” he ordered, and she stopped warding them off. One of the hands made a lunge at them, and Endel hit it in the eye with an arrow. Just like he’d thought, the arrow stuck in its eye and caused it to go berserk. He pierced a few more eyes, and soon the place was amok with flailing stone hands.

Endel and Torianna were nimble enough to avoid the chaos, but Zurin was not so lucky. He teleported too close to one of the hands and got knocked aside. Flying across the room, he collided with a wall and fell to the ground, but quickly got back up.

“Had enough!?” Endel yelled, but Zurin laughed. “Not until you can fire a light arrow at me!” he replied, then disappeared again. He appeared out of range once more and cast a spell to remove the hands, then began another. This time, a number of runes appeared on the platforms, above which a strong gale blew. Getting too close would probably fling them easily.

At first Endel thought it would be easy to avoid these runes, but then they started vanishing and reappearing at different platforms, whipping up gales again a few seconds later. This was going to get really hectic, but how would it make him fire a light arrow?

Then it hit him. The point wasn’t to rough them up, but to waste time. Endel needed to fire a light arrow before Volvagia got out of Death Mountain. The longer they wasted time like this, and the more they got hit, the worse the situation became.

Endel leapt from platform to platform with Torianna, but between the whirlwinds and fireballs it was hard to shoot arrows. Zurin was probably trying to corner him into using light arrows, and honestly it was working. He could feel his faith renewing, not out of grace or good witnessing like before but rather from desperation. Damn it, Zurin wasn’t leaving him any choice. 

A rune appeared at Endel’s feet just as a fireball split Endel from Torianna, but she took the initiative and leapt at Zurin. Grabbing his waist, she dragged him to the ground and put him in a headlock. “Shoot him now, you idiot!” Torianna yelled. This was it; if he didn’t fire a light arrow, there wouldn’t be another chance.

Endel nocked his arrow and aimed for Zurin’s center. Trying to find some shred of hope for divine intervention, he prayed desperately for aid. The arrowhead glimmered, and Endel tried harder. He thought about all his friends, alive and dead, who would have suffered in vain if he didn’t submit to fate. He tried to force himself to defer to the gods, but couldn’t quite do it.

Out of nowhere, a new feeling blossomed in his heart that gave him purpose. He couldn’t quite describe it, but accepted the feeling of peace and let it grow. The tip of his arrow shone brightly, and he fired it at Zurin. It hit him and light energy coursed over his body, causing him to gasp in pain, but did not suffer any visible wounds. Collapsing to the ground as Torianna let him go, he looked at Endel and smiled.

“It is finished! Well done, Endel! You have proven yourself worthy, you marvelous human!” he exclaimed. They teleported back to the previous room, but now Volvagia was there, trapped in a magic-induced paralysis.

“I knew one of you would rise to the occasion!” Zurin said. Lorcan and Reuben appeared next to Endel, watching suspiciously. “But it is wonderful that both of you have become great warriors!” Zurin praised them.

“I don’t think you understand what happened.” Endel interrupted. Zurin cocked his head at him. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“When I shot you, it wasn’t because of blind faith,” Endel explained. “I wasn’t thinking ‘I want to work for the gods’ like you do. It was more like, ‘I want to work WITH the gods,’ if you know what I’m saying.”

Zurin seemed perplexed by this, so Endel continued his explanation. “You think faith is about doing exactly what you’re told. There’s a virtue to that, I’ll grant you. But the real virtue comes from treating the gods as partners. Well, partners with authority, but still someone you have bargaining power with. I wanted to do the right thing for my friends, and the gods respected my wishes because they were made in their honor. Don’t you see? I wanted to do something alongside them, not because they told me to.”

For a moment Zurin seemed lost in thought, but then he appeared to have an epiphany. “Yes, of course! You’re saying that my blind faith has caused disaster for Hyrule, and I should have acted with more autonomy for the sake of the ones I loved. That is fair.” he reasoned. “However, there is one problem. I was forced to make Volvagia through my pact; to refuse would mean death. What other option did I have?”

Endel shook his head. “I don’t think you were as cornered as you think. You could have always refused. Eldin may have killed you for it, but I doubt he’d try. I think he cared about you, and you should have used that to argue against his plan.”

The words seemed to hit Zurin deep. He stared at the ground for a moment, perturbed. “So that was the idea she had, all those years ago… yes, it must have been…” he muttered, then looked back up.

“My sincere apologies. I have made a terrible mistake, and your kind has paid the price. I thought my faith was strong, but in reality it was narrow-minded, obscuring all the suffering and misery my machinations begat.” Zurin put a hand to his heart and bowed. 

“Please, forgive me.” he said.

Endel and the others stepped forward, and he extended his hand. Zurin took it and shook, then smiled.

\---

Suddenly a magic missile flew through the room and pierced Reuben in the heart, causing him to drop the Megaton Hammer and crumple to the ground. Torianna cried out as Endel dove for the weapon, but it was telekinetically lifted and thrown into the magma. She cursed as a nasty cackle filled the room. Looking back, Gaou and Darius were standing on the edge of the platform. 

“Well done, my boy!” Darius commended him. “Soon, we shall be rulers of Hyrule!”

“What the HELL is your problem!?” Torianna shouted. Gaou fired a missile at her, but she evaded it. “We’re going to take Volvagia and use him for the glory of Network!” Darius announced. “Years of planning, working with that lunatic Kazdan... it’ll all pay off!” He let out a maniacal laugh, and Torianna cringed. They couldn’t kill Volvagia now, all because of this… monster!

Endel nocked an arrow and blessed it, but Gaou shot forward and punched him in the stomach. He fell to his knees and gasped for air, but someone else was quick on the uptake.

Launching a stream of fire, Gaou was knocked on his back for a moment by Zurin, who then telekinetically raised Darius into the air. “Let me down! I am the future king of Hyrule, you worm!” he screeched, flailing about.

“You are, and have always been, a means to an end.” Zurin responded. “And now you shall be disposed of, if that is quite alright with her.” He looked to Torianna, who felt Lorcan’s hand on her shoulder. With his comfort, she found the strength to give a cold glare at Darius before giving the thumbs down. Zurin nodded, and flung Darius into the magma. He screamed for a moment before liquid fire filled his lungs and he sunk under the surface.

An unusual change came over Gaou. At first he seemed vacant, but then his personality seemed to flip back on. Torianna remembered Darius was controlling him, so with his death Gaou might be saved!

“Urgh, that was a nuisance…” he muttered. Zurin stepped forward and extended a hand. “You are yourself again,” he told him. “Please, let me help you. I can restore your body-”

Gaou teleported right up to Zurin and punched him straight through the chest. “Nah.” Gaou denied him bluntly.

Endel screamed and nocked an arrow while Torianna ran at Gaou, daggers out. Zurin raised a hand and cast a spell, causing her blades to shine. Endel’s arrow was dodged but she got a clean hit on Gaou’s arm, and it split open with a hiss.

Gaou howled and pulled his other arm from Zurin’s chest, then kicked Torianna in the side. She went flying across the platform and would have fallen off if Lorcan hadn’t caught her. Endel fired another arrow at Gaou, but he evaded it and landed a punch on Endel’s temple, knocking him out.

Gaou then ran for Volvagia, who was no longer stunned, and punched his fist into the dragon’s head. Torianna had no idea what was going on until Gaou pulled out a shining ball of light. Volvagia’s soul.

“I’m tired of being a mortal!” Gaou announced. “With this soul, I’ll ascend to godhood!”

“No! Fool!” Zurin shouted, but Gaou kicked him to the ground, then plunged the soul into his body. There was a burst of magical force and light that nearly blew them off the rock, and Gaou howled in pain over the fury of the explosion. When the light faded, a new figure was standing over Zurin.

This new form was an amalgamation of human, demon, and dragon physicality. In fact, Gaou’s mix of human and demon blood seemed to have struck a chord with his dragon soul. He had the face and body of a hylian, but with the white hair and build of a demon, complete with Volvagia’s scales covering his body. Appearing like an armored knight he seemed, in every way, perfectly formed.

“Hmm, I no longer feel like my old selves…” the new being contemplated. “Now, I name myself Volga, demon knight of dragon’s fire!”

“You’re a freak!” Torianna shouted, but Volga ignored her. “I have to prepare for my ascension to true godhood. If you think you can stop me, you’re welcome to give chase!” he taunted, then created a warp point and disappeared.

Torianna examined the scene. The only good news was that Volvagia had been taken care of; everything else looked pretty bleak. Volga was probably going to finish where Volvagia had left off and destroy Hyrule, and they were seriously lacking in manpower to stop him.

Lorcan ran over to Zurin, and Torianna checked on Jaydon. He’d been impaled through the heart by that spell, and lay still on the ground. She checked his pulse and found none. He was dead.

Torianna had never liked Reuben, but in the end he’d tried to do the right thing, even if it was for the wrong reasons. He could have been a better person someday if he kept hanging around people like Maia and Endel. And as much as she hated to admit it, he didn’t deserve to die with the false hope that she’d fall for him one day. But now wasn’t the time to mourn, they had Volga to take care of.

Next she moved to Endel, and woke him up with a red potion which she also drank from. Both were now back in fighting form at least, but what about Zurin? Lorcan beckoned them over to assess the damage.

The hole in Zurin’s chest was large, too big for a potion to heal. He was still breathing, meaning his vital organs hadn’t been destroyed, but the bleeding couldn’t be stopped. Endel kneeled over him and tried to make him comfortable.

“I… knew this day… would come…” Zurin whispered. “Two thousand years… of living… is far too many…”

“Try to relax.” Endel told him, but he declined and began casting a spell.

“With the last… of my power… take this…” he said, then a strange arrow appeared in his hand. “My last resort…” He bequeathed the arrow to Endel, who looked it over. The shaft was covered in strange runes, and the arrowhead was a brilliant lavender.

“Made of… timeshift stones… I call it… the zeight arrow…” Zurin explained. “It will send… that fool… to another dimension… may cause… psychological… altering though…” He coughed up a lot of blood and laid back.

“We’ll take care of him. You won’t have died in vain.” Endel assured him. “Yeah, that lunatic isn’t gonna get away with this!” Torianna added. Lorcan agreed quietly and wiped the blood off Zurin’s face.

“Such kindness…” he whispered, then wheezed. “You must… weaken Volga… then use the arrow…”

“We’ll cut him up good, don’t worry.” Torianna assured Zurin, who gave a warm smile.

“It is… over… now… com… ing… Cal… li…a...” he wheezed, then stopped breathing. His body disintegrated to ashes, leaving them alone to face Volga.

“I wonder who Callia was?” Endel asked. Torianna shrugged, and Lorcan didn’t have a clue either. “Probably some friend of his. I hope he sees her again, at least.” Torianna admitted. He wasn’t that bad of a guy, and it’s not like she could judge anyone who killed Darius. Not to mention he paled in comparison to all the awful crap she’d done. “Well, I hope that he finds peace… and is with her.” Endel said, then turned to face them. They said their piece and walked away toward the warp point Volga had left.

“Ok, this is really it!” Endel exclaimed. Torianna and Lorcan looked at him attentively. “We need to banish Volga, but Maia and Cheval are still outside. Lorcan, I need you to help her, we can’t afford losing Cheval because Maia had to save him alone.”

“Are you sure we don’t need another man to fight Volga?” Torianna asked, but Endel disagreed. “I think you and I are the only ones that can hurt him. Zurin did something to your daggers, and my bow has to finish him off. Lorcan can’t help us.”

Torianna was anxious about cutting down their numbers, but Lorcan seemed to agree with the idea. “Good luck!” he said, then turned and ran for the door with Reuben’s body. “That kid is really something…” she muttered, then looked at the warp point. 

“You ready for this?” Torianna asked, and Endel nodded. The adrenaline was rushing to her head now, and he was probably feeling the same. This was their last chance to save Hyrule, their friends, and the people they loved. It all came down to this final, decisive battle.

They entered the warp point together. A feeling of being caught in a maelstrom enveloped them, and Torianna thought the warp had been a trap, but suddenly the chaos stopped, and they were in a world beyond Torianna’s imagination.

Looking around, they must have been a hundred miles in the sky. Their battlefield was the square roof of a strange building covered in weeds, and below them were more buildings of impossible shapes. They were, by far, at the height of this strange city, and from what Torianna could tell the inhabitants below were… chickens!?

“Fascinating, isn’t it?” a voice called out. Torianna and Endel looked up to see Volga standing on one of the building’s spires. He jumped off and landed across from them, then stretched out his arms. “This place was made by an advanced civilization that predates Hylia by a few centuries. They are known as the Oocca, the brains behind most of creation. They actually helped the goddess Hylia build the first humans! Can you believe it?”

Torianna stared at Volga queerly as he continued to monologue. “Volvagia’s soul told me all about them. Just when you think you’re the smartest thing in Hyrule, you remember… there’s always a bigger fish.” He walked to the edge and peered over. “But not for long. I’ll devour the souls of these things, and take their knowledge as my own. My power to assimilate others simply can’t be satiated, I suppose.”

When Volga turned back to Endel and Torianna, he held out his right hand, and a spear materialized in it. “But first, I’m going to tie up a loose end.” He told them. “When I kill you, Torianna, the last connection to my pathetic human existence will be gone. Jaydon will be truly dead, and I may ascend to godhood with my humanity severed.”

“If you expect us to be impressed with your bravado, you’re wasting your time!” Endel said. “Just fight us already so we can kill you!” Torianna was of a like mind, this was pointless posturing at its worst.

Volga’s laughter bellowed across the rooftop. “Humans are such dull creatures…” he mused, “no appreciation for the drama of the moment. Very well, let’s get this over with!”

Flourishing his spear, Volga ran at Torianna but was easily evaded. Endel shot a light arrow at him, but missed when their enemy leapt into the air. “Move!” Torianna yelled, and they barely escaped the explosion Volga caused when he collided with the ground.

Torianna knew that she’d have to keep Volga on his toes if Endel was going to land a shot, so she tried to get his back to the arrow fire. Volga tried to switch targets, but Torianna gave him a nasty cut on his leg that elicited a cry of outrage, and he swung the pole of his spear at her.

She took the hit on her shoulder, but it wasn’t bad enough to cut off her arm, and before Volga could get in a stab Endel fired a light arrow into his back. The light bound Volga for a moment, and Torianna got in a few more cuts before he broke free.

Volga roared, then began casting a spell. This was bad; he was starting to learn how to use his new magic, and if he got too far, he could probably obliterate them effortlessly. The spell was stopped by another arrow from Endel, and Torianna slashed at his arms to cripple him this time. The scales on Volga’s body were thick, but they were starting to give way to her daggers.

“ENOUGH OF THIS!” Volga roared, then inhaled and breathed a stream of fire. Endel jumped back, but tripped and fell off the side of the building. Torianna’s heart stopped, but then saw he’d managed to grab the ledge. Volga hadn’t noticed and started to laugh, thinking he’d vanquished his opponent, but Torianna came from behind and slashed his legs. He collapsed to his knees, and Torianna tackled him to the ground.

Volga struggled and was able to push her off, but in the confusion he’d lost his spear. Torianna slashed his face and chest, but then took a punch to the head and dropped her daggers. Disoriented, she felt his hand around her throat before being lifted into the air.

“I preferred to kill you quickly, but if you insist on being a nuisance, I’ll have to make it nice and slow.” Volga grumbled. “Any last words before I crush your windpipe?”

“Just a couple…” Torianna blurted between gasps. “First... turn around.”

Volga looked behind him, where Endel had nocked the zeight arrow. He looked back at Torianna, outraged.

“Second... go to hell!” Torianna shouted. Volga dropped her and reached for one of her daggers, but was too slow. Endel released the arrow and shot him in the back.

There was a burst of air that knocked Torianna away, then the world around Volga seemed to bend and tear. A small hole appeared in space, and he was ripped off of the ground, then pulled into it. Utterly helpless, his screams only lasted a moment before the wormhole closed, leaving no trace of the thing that had once been her brother.

Torianna sighed, picking up her daggers. Endel ran over to check on her, but she was fine. At worst, she’d gotten another cut that needed stitching and a sore neck. Both of them had nearly been killed a few times, but had fought well. It was truly and finally over.


	25. Chapter 25

Endel looked around for a way off the rooftop, but there wasn’t any sign of a path down. “Don’t tell me we’re gonna die stranded up here?” Torianna complained. Their adrenaline was wearing off, and the lack of air was getting to them already.

“Just let me think!” Endel replied, looking around. There wasn’t any way to touch down to the city streets or get the attention of those Oocca he could see, but there was one oddity. The place where Volga had been banished was distorted and weird, as if space still hadn’t recovered. Maybe, if they just re-opened the hole somehow, they could go anywhere they wanted!

Endel thought about how to open the hole, and figured if a divine arrow could make it, maybe another one could re-make it? “I’m going to open the hole again with a light arrow.” he told Torianna. She looked hesitant to try at first, but they didn’t have a choice. 

“It’s the only way home!” he reasoned. It was obvious they were going to die if they stayed up here any longer, so realizing that, she agreed. Endel drew an arrow and focused, causing it to brighten, then shot the warped air. The place where the hole had been opened again, and Endel sighed with relief.

“After you!” he said, motioning to the hole, and Torianna rolled her eyes before jumping in. Endel followed after her, and suddenly they were enveloped in the chaotic gap between dimensions.

Tumbling through the disorder, Endel got glimpses of strange, impossible things that hurt his head to look at. He grabbed Torianna’s hand as they fell, and tried to focus on Volvagia’s chamber. Maybe with a bit of faith and a clear mind, he could guide them back to where they’d come from.

“I want to go back, just take me there!” Endel called out. The words echoed and abruptly faded out, then returned and faded again in a way that made no sense. He couldn’t stand to be here much longer, it was like gazing at something you weren’t meant to see. Torianna had screwed her eyes shut, but he kept gazing, looking for home.

Just when Endel thought it was hopeless, the image of the crater appeared. Nobody was there now, but it was the only familiar place he’d seen, so he went for it. There was no ground to run on, but when Endel pulled Torianna toward the exit he was proceeding toward it somehow. Moving at a run, he picked her up and dove into the image of the crater.

Endel and Torianna landed roughly on the ground of the chamber they’d seen Volvagia in. He got up, brushed off the dirt, and helped Torianna to her feet. They looked around, smiled, then embraced in celebration of returning home.

“That was the most godsawful part of this trip by far!” Torianna exclaimed. Endel agreed, and figured that Volga had probably gone mad seeing that chaotic place. 

“What do you think happened to him?” Torianna asked. Endel wasn’t entirely sure, but he had a thought. “I think he tried to come back here, too, but failed. His trip through the dimensional gap made a wake for us to follow. I think he failed at the last minute though. I had to push hard to get here, like I was going against a stream, you know?” She didn’t seem convinced, but Endel figured his guess was the only closure they’d ever get, so maybe she’d accept it as truth one day.

“Whatever,” Torianna replied, flipping her hair back. “He’s not here, that’s all that matters. Let’s go tell the others how our bad asses saved Hyrule!” Endel chuckled, then walked out of the temple with her.

Outside the terraformed mountain they found Cheval’s jacket and picked it up. “They’d have covered his body with this if he died, right?” Endel deduced. Torianna concurred, and when they got back to the base of the mountain an excited Lorcan hugged them both before confirming their suspicion.

“So happy! This is wonderful!” he exclaimed, showing no anxiety about talking now. It was only short statements, but Endel was proud of him nonetheless. And of course, he’d done a great job directing them up the mountain, so he was making definite progress. He even continued to talk as they walked to the abandoned house to see Maia and Cheval.

Inside, Lorcan and Torianna left Endel alone, “to catch up with his girlfriend!” in her words. He raced up the stairs and found the room Maia had been staying in, and she was there. Thank the gods, she was there.

Maia turned around to face Endel, then froze. At first she seemed afraid, or unsure if this was real, but then she realized it was actually happening and her eyes watered. Tears of joy quickly followed, so Endel walked forward and wiped them away, then held her close.

“I’m not gonna run anymore. I’m done with running, and fighting, and... well, everything that was keeping me from you.” he said. “I’m gonna stay here now, and enjoy the world at your side- if you want to, I mean.”

Maia looked deep into his eyes and smiled. “I would love to…” she whispered. Endel gazed back and drew her in. Now it was really, truly time to close this chapter of his life and move on to the next. He had a feeling it would be an age of happiness, but more importantly, it would be a time of peace.

\---

One year after the defeat of Volvagia, Maia stood on the roof of a building, scanning the crowd for targets. She spotted a wealthy man turning onto the adjacent alleyway and made her move, landing soundlessly behind him. Her treading was incredibly light as she ran behind him, bumped his shoulder, and grabbed a fat purse off his belt. Easily done! She ran past him and said a quick apology, then turned back onto the main street.

Taking a moment to admire a wanted poster of herself in a mask (which she tore down), Maia strode back home and dropped the purse on the table. She had a few minutes to change back into her regular clothes then start dinner, but she needed to be fast. The children would be sad if there was no food, and sadder still if they saw their mother in thieving gear.

Throwing on casual attire, she threw some things together for dinner just in time for Endel and the kids to get home. He snuck up behind her and wrapped his hands around her waist, then moved in close to her ear.

“Find any good discounts today?” Endel whispered, and she giggled before responding. “I think I found a fantastic deal, love. Got a free purse, full of rupees for a week’s meals.” she whispered back. “Attagirl!” Endel muttered before playfully tickling her stomach. Maia squealed and glared playfully at him, then went back to dinner.

After the incident in Death Mountain, Maia had tried to be a nurse, but the work was far too dull and the pay was terrible. Monsters and crime at an all time low meant little demand for medicine, and so she decided to put a little more mischief back in Castle Town. Her talents landed her family enough money to have a wonderful wedding, buy a house, and raise two kids. Well, Endel’s salary helped a lot, but they were about equal contributors. Probably.

But most importantly, Maia was content now. Not only was she doing a job that made her happier than cleaning floors, but she also had people to take care of who reciprocated her love. Looking back, she realized Zelda was a great woman, but could never see her as more than a good servant. Endel and the kids thought of her as so much more.

Maia served dinner, and everyone ate while talking about their day. The kids had a great time at school, and were smart but incredibly mischievous. Endel talked about his work and the usual stresses he put up with. Maia was keeping her ‘job’ a secret from her son and daughter until they were older, but looked forward to their response to learning she was a thief. 

Maybe that was the best part of her life now, actually. Every day, she woke up looking forward to the next one, and all the days after that until forever. It was more than contentment, it was true excitement about her future. And the more she thought about it, that was definitely what made her the happiest!

\---

Lorcan patrolled the streets of Jonahsville in his usual way: one stroll up the central street, one back while stopping at every major building, and a fifteen minute stop at each entrance to town before repeating his route from the beginning. Being captain of the guard for the town recently formed by his friend was hard, but keeping people safe and getting their appreciation was ample compensation. The only downside was he rarely got to leave and hunt in the forest.

“The captain of the guard, at his usual post!” A voice called out. Lorcan turned around and saw it was Jonah. “Mayor!” he said (talking wasn’t a problem at all now), “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Just checking in to see how the safety of our village goes. I may be its leader, but you are the one who really makes this place possible!” Jonah told him, and Lorcan blushed a bit. Many people told him he made this place livable, but he personally felt that everyone contributed in some vital way. There were no moochers in Jonahsville.

A month after Lorcan had helped defeat Volvagia, Jonah had visited him to discuss repopulating their home deep in Faron woods. The problem they’d expected was keeping the place safe, but with a guard in royal armor, protection had become easier than they’d ever dreamed. Jonah had said the cap of the royal guards conferred luck, and it seemed to be true, as wild animals and even most monsters felt anxious when they got too close to Jonahsville. When people saw the settlement had a blessing, they flocked to the land and turned it into a respectable village.

Still, being out here meant long trips for his friends who wanted to visit. He offered them each a home on excellent real estate, but they all declined for various reasons. Still, one of them made quite a few visits to check up on him…

Speaking of which, right as Jonah excused himself Lorcan spotted a familiar face passing the city entrance. She strutted along as if she owned the place just to get a rise out of him, then casually sauntered over.

“Excuse me, sir, I have a serious crime to report!” Torianna said. Lorcan rolled his eyes and played along. “What seems to be the problem, ma’am?” he asked playfully.

“Oh, there’s just this man who stalks me every time I come here! Dreadful guy, but terribly handsome.” Torianna joked, and Lorcan gave her a little chuckle. “How awful! Who is this man, and where can I find him?” he asked. “That’s the catch!” Torianna cried, “It’s actually you! And worse still, I think I fancy you!”

Lorcan gave a fake gasp of shock. “Incredible!” he responded. “The only way for you to solve this is to come to the guard’s barracks and file a report! But there’s a catch…” he slyly added.

“Oh?” Torianna asked, grinning at Lorcan mischievously. “Yeah…” he replied, “You’ll need to come to the captain’s office to file this report, it’s that serious. Also, you’ll have to spend a while being, uh, ‘questioned’.” he winked at that, and Torianna gave her own fake gasp.

“Then we shan’t waste any time!” she exclaimed, then dragged Lorcan to the barracks. Gods, this woman made life more interesting!

\---

The next day, Torianna was in Telma’s Bar looking over a map of Castle Town. She was looking for a place to stage a heist on a wealthy doctor accused of poisoning the city guard, and thought a rooftop entrance might be necessary. Thankfully, her partner was an expert at that kind of maneuver, so this should be easy.

Looking up, Torianna walked over to the counter and spoke with Telma for a moment. She waited for the woman to finish counting rupees and look up. “We’re gonna do the job tonight.” she told her, and her boss seemed pleased. “Can’t happen soon enough…” Telma grumbled. “Poisoning guards… what’s with some folks?”

“Well, he won’t be doing it anymore when we get him thrown in jail.” Torianna assured her, and Telma grinned. “Been doin’ this for so long now, but I never get tired of servin’ justice!” she exclaimed.

A thought popped into Torianna’s head. “You know, when we talked to Zurin, he said he’d convinced you to start all this…” she remembered, “I’m curious, what did he say?”

Telma sighed and gave a ghost of a smile. “Really? He just said he believed in justice, and that he thought I did too. I didn’t buy his crap, but somethin’ about that man…” her gaze seemed distant. “I could just tell that, more than anything, he wanted the world to be a better place. So I listened.”

Torianna thought about it for a moment, then smiled at Telma. “I think you made the right decision, boss!” she said. Telma gave one of her trademark grin-and-wink expressions.

Torianna had been running odd jobs for a while at Telma’s discretion, mostly to crack down on ex-Networkers, and it gave her a sort of purpose. It also let her go to Jonahsville every now and then, which was a nifty bonus. And of course, she got to partner with old friends from time to time, though she never could get Endel to go on missions. That kid had moved on to different pastures, but he was happy there. At least she still got to work with their old boss.

The door to the bar flung open, and Cheval came running in. “Bad news!” he said, “The guards are gonna search that doctor’s house tonight, and he knows! He’s gonna burn any evidence he has when he gets home, we need to move now!” 

“In that case, I hope you’re ready to climb down a chimney!” Torianna warned him. “Last time you got stuck, if I recall.” Cheval glared at her, but didn’t bother denying it. He’d gotten jammed in a chimney he’d sworn wasn’t too small, and they had to pull him out with ropes while avoiding attention. Telma didn’t let him drink as much anymore so he could lose weight.

“You two better get goin’ now! And good luck!” Telma told them. They gave her a quick wave and dashed out the door, then climbed to the roof. Off in the distance, they saw Maia doing the same and gave her a smile, then turned and vaulted from one rooftop to the other. It seemed like there was always some small problem in Hyrule that needed fixing, but Torianna liked it that way. She would never complain about any excuse to be a scoundrel, even if it meant following a few virtues.

\---

“Alright, front and center everyone!” Endel announced. “I know this is just another day, but we aren’t just another group of soldiers, are we!?”

“NO, SIR!” his knights shouted. A few of them straightened their backs as he peered over them.

“That’s right! We’re the best knights in this kingdom, and we’re gonna go out there and prove it just like we do everyday, right!?” Endel questioned.

“YES, SIR!” they replied with enthusiasm. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Alright! Get out there and DO YOUR DUTY!” Endel commanded, and with a chorus of “hoorah!”s they filed out to follow their daily routine. Maybe it was a bit much for regular rounds, but Endel wanted to keep them lively.

He’d taken this job as head of the castle knights at the request of Queen Zelda. After her return to Castle Town, there was a desperate need for leadership in the military, and he’d happily filled that role.

At first he’d felt sad, knowing this was the end of his thieving career, but then he remembered what he’d told Maia all that time ago. It was never about the thieving, it was about making a difference in the world. This was a chance to make that difference, in an honest way, and that made him pleased. It was a little weird going in his father’s footsteps, but he’d gotten over that quickly when he saw it as a chance to outstrip him.

Movement caught his eye, and Endel looked over to see Torianna jumping off the castle wall and into the courtyard. “Got a lead, or do you need my advice on a heist?” He joked.

“I’d ask your wife for the thieving tips, not you,” Torianna jabbed back. “But yeah, here’s some evidence on that doctor poisoning your men.” She pulled out a scroll with ingredients for a poison that had been plaguing the guards and handed it to Endel. He looked it over and confirmed they could use it against him. 

“Nice work, as always!” Endel told Torianna, who smirked and flipped her hair behind her head. “What did you expect?” she teased. “Back to your duties now, mister soldier!” With a giggle, she ran out of sight and left Endel alone.

A year after Volvagia, only a few people knew what the Scoundrels of Virtue had risked for Hyrule, and it would probably always be that way. Torianna and Cheval had no intention of sharing what they’d done (and were still doing) in the shadows to keep Hyrule safe. People would never know that men and women like Maia and Lorcan had almost died to keep the world from ending. They wouldn’t know that people like Skallin and Zurin had actually died in that service, either. And Endel’s only mention in history as a knight would be a minor footnote compared to someone like Zelda or Link.

But that wasn’t the point. It had never been about the glory and honor, not for any of them. They were just a group of people who’d seen the world was messed up, and decided to change it by any means necessary. Seeing a peaceful Hyrule was all the payoff they’d needed. And at the end of it all, when Endel saw that order had been restored and the Scoundrels of Virtue had accomplished their mission, it was all he’d needed too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading The Scoundrels of Virtue! I hope you enjoyed it and its characters as much as I did! Don't forget to read the final part of Shatter for a little extra closure!


End file.
